Evaluation of surgically treated breast masses in children

Özet

We aimed to define the diagnostic and treatment characteristics of breastmasses among female children who had undergone surgical treatment inorder to figure out which children should be followed conservatively ortreated surgically. We reviewed retrospectively 64 female patients operatedfor breast masses under the age of 18 years between 1977 and 2013. Patientdemographics, symptoms, physical examination findings, size of the massand its relation with menstrual cycle, follow-up period before and aftersurgery, diagnostic characteristics, laboratory analysis, diagnosis before andafter surgery, indications for surgery, histopathological characteristics ofthe mass, postoperative complications, and recurrence rate were recorded.Histopathologic investigations among 41 girls with complete hospital recordsshowed that 26 had fibroadenoma (FA; 63.4%). Eleven girls among the other23 cases with incomplete hospital records but with histopathological resultshave also had FA (47%). The majority of breast masses in childhood are FA,the frequency and duration of follow up is important. If there is a mass thatwill not regress, that continues to grow or does not reduce in size duringfollow up, and for those with family history of breast cancer to definitelyexclude the possibility of malignancy, surgical treatment may be appropriate.