1. < Prostate Cancer

Can we talk about boobs please? Man Boobs. ADT induced gynecomastia.

Posted by aldenrobert @aldenrobert, Mar 31, 2024

I ended a 24 weeks of ADT (Orgovyx and Erleada) on Aug.28 2023. About 12 weeks into the treatment I had lost about 70% of my body hair and my chest had started to enlarge. I knew that this was a potential side effect and mentioned it to my Oncologist's Nurse Practitioner and the nurse who over the drug study I was in at the time. I also mentioned that one side was bigger than the other. They both laughed and said "join the club". I said that I had read that one of the side effects could be sensitive breasts, but that my breasts weren't sensitive but that I was started to get sensitive about my breasts. We all laughed. Now 4 months later and no longer on ADT my breasts are about 4 times the size they were before I started ADT. Luckily I was always rather flat chested but I am concerned that they will continue to grow when I resume ADT. I would love to hear what others experiences have been with this rather sensitive topic. And yes now my nipples are very sensitive (sore to the touch).

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.

narus | @narus | Jun 24, 2024
In reply to @proftom2 "3.6 Years in. Just went from XXL t-shirts to XXXL. Pants are getting tight, come fall..." + (show)
@proftom2

3.6 Years in. Just went from XXL t-shirts to XXXL. Pants are getting tight, come fall I'll need to go up another size. Makes no sense. I am eating better, much better and less. I am exercising more, much more than ever before. Makes no sense in terms of my pre-advanced prostate cancer life. But, in my new advanced prostate cancer life it's the price of admissions. 120 to 180 minutes a day of mild to moderate exercise. All four types; endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility exercise every week. 2-3 Nutritional based meals per day. Results, outside of my enlargements I am living my best version of self-level. Keep trying!

Jump to this post

Did radiation androgen therapy 4years ago. After treatment I had trouble walking and no energy and my weight went up 250lbs.
My Testosterone was about 518 and I began TRT.
Not much changed in my life and I decided to go on the Carnivore. Within 4 months I was down 60 lbs and feel great.

REPLY
1 reply
Scottyrussell | @scottyrussell | Apr 4 6:13am

Prostate removed in 2015, in 2023 PSA started rising. Informed I had an advanced and aggressive biochemical prostate cancer. Had a 6 month Lupron injection and had 39 radiation treatments. After radiation was complete I started to notice my breasts increas8ng 8n size and were very painful. After mammogram and ultrasound I was informed I have gynecomastia in both breast with t(e left breast the largest. It was so painful that I started wearing compression shirts when I played pickleball or any sports.
Having the lumps and fluid removed May 1st. Has anyone else developed? Thanking God that the lumps were not cancerous!

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2 replies
northoftheborder | @northoftheborder | Apr 5 12:22pm
In reply to @scottyrussell "Prostate removed in 2015, in 2023 PSA started rising. Informed I had an advanced and aggressive..." + (show)
@scottyrussell

Prostate removed in 2015, in 2023 PSA started rising. Informed I had an advanced and aggressive biochemical prostate cancer. Had a 6 month Lupron injection and had 39 radiation treatments. After radiation was complete I started to notice my breasts increas8ng 8n size and were very painful. After mammogram and ultrasound I was informed I have gynecomastia in both breast with t(e left breast the largest. It was so painful that I started wearing compression shirts when I played pickleball or any sports.
Having the lumps and fluid removed May 1st. Has anyone else developed? Thanking God that the lumps were not cancerous!

Jump to this post

Yep — no tight t-shirts for me. I'm not experiencing more than very rare, minor soreness, though.

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | 4 days ago
In reply to @scottyrussell "Prostate removed in 2015, in 2023 PSA started rising. Informed I had an advanced and aggressive..." + (show)
@scottyrussell

Prostate removed in 2015, in 2023 PSA started rising. Informed I had an advanced and aggressive biochemical prostate cancer. Had a 6 month Lupron injection and had 39 radiation treatments. After radiation was complete I started to notice my breasts increas8ng 8n size and were very painful. After mammogram and ultrasound I was informed I have gynecomastia in both breast with t(e left breast the largest. It was so painful that I started wearing compression shirts when I played pickleball or any sports.
Having the lumps and fluid removed May 1st. Has anyone else developed? Thanking God that the lumps were not cancerous!

Jump to this post

@scottyrussell, I moved your question about gynecomastia to this related discussion:
- Can we talk about boobs please? Man Boobs. ADT induced gynecomastia.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/can-we-talk-about-boobs-please-man-boobs-adt-induced-gynecomastia/
I did this so you can read previous posts and connect with others like @philnob @hergiew @jimcinak @aldenrobert @hbp @cesar52 @velohomme and many others.

Scotty, can you share more about having lumps and fluid removed?

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ededed | @ededed | 4 days ago

My nipples were very sensitive while on ADT for one year. The sensitivity mostly faded a few months after I quit ADT. My chest did grow some and has not shrunk. I don't believe it is noticeable to others when I change in the locker room at my local gym.

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scottbeammeup | @scottbeammeup | 4 days ago

The nurse and nurse practitioner's "join the club" remark seems extremely unprofessional and callous. There's enough #*#&*# with this disease to have to tolerate rude comments from those who are supposed to be helping you. I would express my displeasure to them, in writing, if you feel comfortable doing this and perhaps even escalating it to their supervisor(s).

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1 reply
jc76 | @jc76 | 4 days ago
In reply to @narus "Did radiation androgen therapy 4years ago. After treatment I had trouble walking and no energy and..." + (show)
@narus

Did radiation androgen therapy 4years ago. After treatment I had trouble walking and no energy and my weight went up 250lbs.
My Testosterone was about 518 and I began TRT.
Not much changed in my life and I decided to go on the Carnivore. Within 4 months I was down 60 lbs and feel great.

Jump to this post

@narus
I did not have hormone treatments prior to, during, or after my radiation treatments.

I did though gain weight. My problem is a lot of it went around chest area forming male boobs look. Losing weight (as I have done in past) reduces the male boobs when caused by weight gain.

I know from reading post about the side effects of hormone treatments and causing the male boobs problem. This is from what I read that it is caused by reduction in hormone testosterone to take away the food that prostate cancer loves to grow.

Is the Carnivore a hormone or a diet of protein?

REPLY
1 reply
wdene | @wdene | 2 days ago
In reply to @hbp "I was on ADT and Erleada for 13 months and I also had breast enlargement. I..." + (show)
@hbp

I was on ADT and Erleada for 13 months and I also had breast enlargement. I am not comfortable in taking my shirt off in public but I intend to swim in my own pool this summer. There are several cost in prolonging your life with this cancer and this is one of them.

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May be some discomfort but in the scale of hardships ~ a small one for extended life. Fortuitous that new treatments are available.

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zzotte | @zzotte | 1 day ago
In reply to @scottbeammeup "The nurse and nurse practitioner's "join the club" remark seems extremely unprofessional and callous. There's enough..." + (show)
@scottbeammeup

The nurse and nurse practitioner's "join the club" remark seems extremely unprofessional and callous. There's enough #*#&*# with this disease to have to tolerate rude comments from those who are supposed to be helping you. I would express my displeasure to them, in writing, if you feel comfortable doing this and perhaps even escalating it to their supervisor(s).

Jump to this post

I think you are being over sensitive, ( which can be related to your treatment) the OP had a good laugh, laughing it’s always good

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surftohealth88 | @surftohealth88 | 1 day ago
In reply to @jc76 "@narus I did not have hormone treatments prior to, during, or after my radiation treatments. I..." + (show)
@jc76

@narus
I did not have hormone treatments prior to, during, or after my radiation treatments.

I did though gain weight. My problem is a lot of it went around chest area forming male boobs look. Losing weight (as I have done in past) reduces the male boobs when caused by weight gain.

I know from reading post about the side effects of hormone treatments and causing the male boobs problem. This is from what I read that it is caused by reduction in hormone testosterone to take away the food that prostate cancer loves to grow.

Is the Carnivore a hormone or a diet of protein?

Jump to this post

JC, I think he was referring to protein based diet. But , as a side note, I know that Wegovy is approved for patients with cardiovascular disease and even covered by Medicare. It will cause weight loss too, so maybe you can talk to your doctor about that if weight-gain bothers you. It might lower your cardio risk and help with weight. Just a thought.

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