Most tumors that involve the breast during childhood are benign (noncancerous)
fibroadenomas that can be watched for change without the need for biopsy.
Rarely, such breast tumors will show malignant change with sudden, rapid
growth. These are called phyllodes tumors, and require biopsy or surgical
removal without mastectomy. Other types of breast cancer have been
reported in both males and females younger than 21 years. There is an
increased lifetime risk of breast cancer in patients who were treated for
any cancer with radiation therapy to the chest area, including female
survivors of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Mammograms should start at age 25 or 10
years after radiation therapy to the chest, whichever came last. Treatment
options include radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery for children and
adolescents with breast cancer. Breast tumors may also occur as cancers
that have spread from other types of cancer such as leukemia,
rhabdomyosarcoma, other sarcomas, or lymphoma, particularly in patients
infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
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