Surgical treatment of the solid breast masses in female adolescents.

Study Objective: To evaluate the histopathologic results of the excised solid breast masses in our clinic and to draw attention to breast masses in adolescents.

Design: A retrospective chart review study and review of the literature.

Setting: This study was conducted in Baskent University Adana Research Center between March 2003 and May 2011.

Participants: Patients included 10 adolescent girls admitted to pediatric surgery clinic with the complaint of palpable breast mass who underwent surgical excision of the breast mass.

Main Outcome Measures: The necessity of surgery in breast masses of female adolescents.

Results: 10 female patients with an average age of 14 years were operated on for breast masses. A palpable mass in the breast and social anxiety were the cardinal complaints. Two patients had a family history of breast carcinoma. One patient had a history of neuroblastoma in remission. Histopathologic examination revealed 3 juvenile fibroadenomas, 1 conventional fibroadenoma, 3 tubular adenomas, and 3 phyllodes tumors.

Conclusions: Palpable breast masses in adolescents are uncommon and are usually benign. The low malignancy risk and rarity of breast masses in childhood create a controversy as how to manage breast masses. Ultrasonography is the initial imaging modality to define the characteristics of the breast mass. Excisional biopsy and histopathologic examination is essential to rule out rare, but probable malignant, lesions in adolescents in selected patients such as maternal history of breast carcinoma, previous malignancy history in the patient, big size of the mass, and no regression on follow-up.