Can breast cancer occur in children?

According to the Indonesian Ministry of Health, breast cancer has the highest number of cancers affecting women. To be precise, with an incidence rate of 42.1 per 100,000 population and an average death rate of 17 per 100.00 population. This disease generally occurs in adult women. However, can breast cancer occur in children?

Could breast cancer be in children?

Breast cancer is characterized by the presence of abnormal cells in the breast tissue. Although this disease can occur in men and women, the number of women who suffer from this disease is greater.

This cancer most commonly affects women at the age of 15 to 39 years. When it occurs in children, it is most likely a breast tumor (fibroadenoma) and is usually not cancer.

Fibroadenoma is a benign tumor. These tumors are in the form of marble-like lumps under the skin around the breasts that are easy to move. In most cases, this condition causes no symptoms and can shrink on its own as you age.

Even so, fibroadenomas still have a risk of turning into cancer at any time. Especially, if the tumor changes the tissue in the breast and continues to grow in size.

In some cases, these tumors can enlarge into large phyllodes and begin to grow rapidly. Phyllodes are tumors that are hard lumps on the connective tissue in the breast. This may occur if the child has a family history of cancer.

Recognizing the characteristics and signs of breast cancer in children

To find out if the tumor is cancer or fibroadenoma, the child needs to undergo several tests. Medical tests needed to make a diagnosis, including a mammogram, ultrasound, or biopsy.

If the tumor leads to fibroadenoma, causes no symptoms and does not increase the risk of breast cancer, the tumor does not need to be removed. However, if you do not want to cause further concern, the doctor will usually suggest that the tumor be removed.

Meanwhile, if a tumor in a child is diagnosed as breast cancer, further treatment is needed. The reason is, cancer cells can spread to the surrounding tissue, metastasize, and cause death.

Usually, a tumor that turns into breast cancer will have the following signs and symptoms:

The lump changes in size and changes the shape of the breast
The presence of wrinkles like the texture of an orange peel on the skin of the breast
The nipples that should be coming out are actually going inside
Swelling of the breasts, nipples, and areola (dark area around the nipple)

So, can breast cancer in children be cured?

Breast cancer can be treated in many ways. Breast cancer treatment will be adjusted according to the type and how far the cancer cells have spread.

Breast cancer treatment in children is not much different from adults, which includes various types of treatment, such as:

Operation. This action is done by performing surgery and removing the cancerous tissue from the body.
Chemotherapy. This treatment is carried out by drinking oral medicine which aims to shrink and kill cancer cells. Not only in pill form, the drug is also given in the form of an injection (infusion) into a vein.
Hormonal therapy. Treatment of breast cancer in children is done by blocking the growth of cancer cells from the hormones needed.
Radiation therapy. This therapy uses high-energy rays such as X-rays to kill cancer cells.
Biological therapy. This therapy is done by increasing the body's immune system to be stronger against cancer cells. Can also be applied to reduce the side effects of other cancer treatments.

Choosing breast cancer treatment in children may not be easy. Consult an oncologist (cancer specialist) about the right treatment options for your child and his condition.