Clinical Analysis of Female Patients Under 20 Years of Age with Benign Breast Masses

Chae, Man Kyu; Lim, Chul Wan; Hur, Kyung Yul; Park, Kyung Kyu; Lee, Min Hyuk

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Breast lesions in children and adolescents are rare and develop mainly in females. The management of breast masses in children and adolescents can be a perplexing problem for pediatricians and surgeons. It is well documented that breast lesions in females under 20 years of age rarely represent malignant disease. However, they frequently are a source of discomfort and anxiety for the patient, particularly when they do not resolve spontaneously.
METHODS
To determine the frequency of different breast masses in females under 20 years of age on whom surgery was performed, we carried out a retrospective study of females under 20 years who were admitted to the Department. of Surgery of Soonchunhyang University Hospital for surgery between 1993 and 1995.
RESULTS
The mean age was 17.9 years. A total of 44 surgical procedures were performed in 40 patients. The masses ranged in size from 0.8 cm through 7.0 cm. As to the location, the mass was in the right breast of 22 patients (50%) and in the left breast of 22 (50%). The most common location of the mass was in the right upper outer quadrant (13 patients, 29.5%). Of the 44 masses, fine-needle aspiration cytology was performed in 33 masses. Of them, 28 were fibroadenomas, 4 were fibrocystic disease, and 1 was a lipoma. Excisional biopsy was performed on 44 masses. Of them, 33 were fibroadenomas, 4 were fibrocystic disease, 5 was fibroadenoma and fibrocystic disease, 1 was a lipoma, and 1 was a lymphangioma. There were no malignancies.
CONCLUSIONS
In female patients under 20 years of age, we suggest that benign breast should be studied for diagnosis, treatment, and histological feature.