Endocrine Abstracts

Gynecomastia is a benign enlargement of the male breast due to the imbalance between androgens and estrogens in the breast tissue. In up to 40% of cases no evident reasons could be found. This idiopathic gynecomastia may be caused by excess aromatisation within breast tissue. Aromatase is a key enzyme in estrogen biosynthesis. Mutations and polymorphisms of aromatase gene could lead to its overexpression. Some endocrine disruptors - chemicals that interfere with hormone functi...