Case report and review of the literature: secretory breast cancer in a 13-year-old boy--10 years of follow up

Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2012 Jun;133(3):813-20. doi: 10.1007/s10549-011-1869-4. Epub 2011 Nov 15.

Abstract

Carcinoma of the breast is very rare in childhood, accounting for less than 1% of all childhood malignancies and is especially rare in boys. Delay in diagnosis and treatment in children with breast cancer may occur because surgeons are very reluctant to perform biopsies on the developing breast, since these can cause future deformity. We report a case of male secretory breast carcinoma in a 13-year-old boy. Radical mastectomy was performed followed by chemotherapy. The patient is free of disease after 10 years. Secretory breast carcinoma (SBC) is the commonest type of breast carcinoma in children. In this article, we discuss the diagnosis and treatment options for breast cancer among children as well as features of SBC, based on a literature review.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Breast Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Breast Neoplasms, Male / diagnosis*
  • Breast Neoplasms, Male / surgery*
  • Carcinoma / diagnosis*
  • Carcinoma / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Staging

Supplementary concepts

  • Secretory breast carcinoma