Breast Malignancies in Children: Presentation, Management, and Survival

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pediatric Oncology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Pediatric breast malignancies are rare, with limited literature available.
• Understanding differences between pediatric and adult breast cancer is crucial for tailored treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare demographic, tumor, and treatment characteristics of pediatric breast malignancy with adult breast malignancy.
• To analyze survival outcomes between pediatric and adult patients diagnosed with breast cancer.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study utilizing the National Cancer Data Base (1998-2012).
• Comparison of patients ≤21 years (pediatric) versus >21 years (adult) at diagnosis.
• Statistical analysis using generalized linear models and Cox regression for survival.

Main Results:

• Pediatric patients (0.02% of cases) were more likely to have non-invasive carcinoma, undifferentiated malignancy, and advanced stage disease at diagnosis.
• Pediatric patients showed higher rates of positive axillary nodes and bilateral mastectomy compared to adults.
• No significant difference in overall survival was observed between pediatric and adult patients with invasive carcinoma.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric breast malignancies present at more advanced stages and exhibit greater variability in treatment compared to adult cases.
• Despite differences in presentation and treatment modalities, overall survival for invasive breast carcinoma is comparable between pediatric and adult populations.