Evaluation of surgically treated breast masses in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Pediatric Oncology
• Surgical Pathology

Background:

• Breast masses in children are uncommon but require careful evaluation.
• Distinguishing benign from malignant pediatric breast lesions is crucial for appropriate management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic and treatment characteristics of surgically treated breast masses in female children.
• To determine criteria for conservative management versus surgical intervention in pediatric breast masses.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 64 female patients under 18 years old treated surgically for breast masses between 1977 and 2013.
• Analysis of patient demographics, clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, surgical indications, histopathology, and outcomes.
• Histopathological examination of breast masses to determine the nature of the lesion.

Main Results:

• Fibroadenoma (FA) was the most frequent diagnosis, accounting for 63.4% of masses in patients with complete records and 47% in those with incomplete records.
• The majority of pediatric breast masses evaluated were benign, primarily fibroadenomas.
• Key indicators for surgical consideration included non-regressing or growing masses and a family history of breast cancer.

Conclusions:

• Fibroadenoma is the predominant histopathological finding in surgically treated pediatric breast masses.
• Conservative follow-up may be appropriate for regressing masses, while persistent, growing, or suspicious lesions warrant surgical evaluation.
• Early and accurate diagnosis is essential for optimal management of breast masses in children.