National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Gigantomastia


Other Names:
Macromastia; Gestational gigantomastia (subtype); Pregnancy-induced gigantomastia (subtype); Macromastia; Gestational gigantomastia (subtype); Pregnancy-induced gigantomastia (subtype); Idiopathic gigantomastia (subtype); Puberty-induced gigantomastia (subtype); Juvenile gigantomastia (subtype); Drug-induced gigantomastia (subtype); Medication-induced gigantomastia (subtype) See More
Gigantomastia is a rare condition characterized by excessive breast growth. It may occur spontaneously, during puberty or pregnancy, or while taking certain medications.[1][2] There is no universally accepted definition of gigantomastia, but the majority of medical articles refer to a particular weight of excess breast tissue.[3] Symptoms of gigantomastic may include mastalgia (breast pain), ulceration/infection, posture problems, back pain and chronic traction injury to 4th/5th/6th intercostal nerves with resultant loss of nipple sensation. It is also associated with decreased fetal growth, if it occurs during pregnancy.[1]

The exact cause of gigantomastia is not known; however, hormonal and hereditary factors may be involved. Additionally, gigantomastia has been noted as a side effect of treatment with certain medications, such as like D-penicillamine.[4][2] Treatment may include breast reduction, mastectomy with or without reconstruction, hormonal treatment, or a combination of treatments.[1][4]
Last updated: 10/5/2016

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Abnormality of the thorax
Abnormality of the chest
0000765
Sex-limited autosomal dominant 0001470
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Last updated: 7/1/2020
Breast reduction with or without hormonal therapy is often the first line of treatment for women who have gigantomastia. However, recurrence of gigantomastia may occur, requiring a second breast reduction procedure or mastectomy. Mastectomy might be recommended following recurrence of gigantomastia after breast reduction, especially in those patients who have  gigantomastia associated with puberty or pregnancy.[1]  It is important to discuss this information with a health care provider in order to determine what treatment might be appropriate.
Last updated: 10/5/2016

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Gigantomastia. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

In-Depth Information

  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Gigantomastia. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know. Submit a new question

  • My wife had a breast reduction to cure gigantomastia. But after a year, the ailment recurred.  What treatment options might be available for her now? See answer


  1. Dancey A, Khan M, Dawson J, Peart F. Gigantomastia - a classification and review of the literature. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. December 13, 2007; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18054304.
  2. Kulkarni D, Beechey-Newman N, Hamed H, Fentiman IS. Gigantomastia: A problem of local recurrence. The Breast. 2006;
  3. H. Dafydd, K.R. Roehl, L.G. Phillips, A. Dancey, F. Peart, K. Shokrollahi. Redefining gigantomastia. Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery. 2011; 64:160-163. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20965141.
  4. Antevski BM, Smilevski DA, Stojovski MZ, Filipovski VA, Banev SG. Extreme gigantomastia in pregnancy: case report and review of literature. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2007;