Paediatric and Adolescent Breast Cancer: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer worldwide. Every year, it affects a significant number of women in the UK and is considered one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths globally. While breast cancer is primarily linked to adult women, its occurrence in children and adolescents is exceedingly rare. This study conducted a narrative review spanning from 1999 to 2023, examining 32 case reports to investigate the characteristics of breast cancer in the paediatric age group. These reports focused on patients under 18 years old who were diagnosed with primary glandular breast cancer, excluding cases originating from other tissues like angiosarcoma, leukaemia, and metastatic cancer. The data analysis encompassed various parameters, including gender, age, histology, receptor status, lymph node involvement, treatment methods, and genetic characteristics. From the published case reports, it was concluded that the most common type of breast cancer affecting children and adolescents is secretory breast carcinoma and predominantly occurs in females. It is typically hormone receptors negative, and the preferred treatment approach involves mastectomy as breast conservation surgery to preserve the developing breast tissue is a real challenge due to limited breast tissue volume in this age group.

Keywords: brca gene mutation; etv6-ntrk3 fusion gene; mastectomy; paediatric breast cancer; secretory breast carcinoma.

Figure 1. Histological subtypes of breast cancers in 32 cases of paediatric and adolescent patients.

SBC: Secretory breast carcinoma, IDC: Invasive ductal carcinoma, ITC: Invasive tubular carcinoma, PIC: Papillary intracystic carcinoma, DCIS: Ductal carcinoma in-situ

Figure 2. Hormonal profile of paediatric and adolescent breast cancer

ER: Estrogen receptors, PR: Progesterone receptors, N/D: Not done