Can 12 Year Olds Get Breast Cancer

Your Race And Ethnicity

White and Black women have the highest risk of developing breast cancer in their lifetime. Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latina womens breast cancer rates fall in between two major groupings while American Indian and Alaska Native women are on the lowest end of risk.

While white women are more likely to develop breast cancer than Black women overall, they tend to be diagnosed at an older age . Black women have the highest breast cancer rates among women under age 40. Black women make up a higher percentage of triple-negative breast cancer cases.

What to do: If your race or ethnicity places you at higher risk, make sure you follow all screening recommendations to improve your chances of catching cancer early.

Breast Cancer Diagnosed During Or After Pregnancy

Being pregnant at the time of diagnosis of breast cancer has been associated with a worse outcome. In one study of 797 such cases, compared with 4,177 non-pregnancy-associated breast cancer controls, women diagnosed while pregnant had larger, more advanced tumors, a greater incidence of receptor-negative tumors, and a higher death rate .15 A smaller study found no association between pregnancy and increased mortality.76 In contrast, pregnancy and childbirth following a diagnosis of breast cancer do not increase mortality, and actually may improve survival. One study found that 438 women age < 45 years at diagnosis, who delivered a child 10 or more months following a diagnosis of breast cancer, had a decreased relative risk of death , compared to women who did not bear children following diagnosis. Women who were pregnant at the time they were diagnosed had a mortality rate similar to the latter group. This suggests that childbirth following breast cancer diagnosis does not increase mortality.76

Why Do Girls Need Them

Most teens don’t need breast exams. That’s because it’s rare for girls to have breast problems. Doctors usually just look at a girl’s breasts during her yearly gyn checkup to see where she is in her development. But if you have a family history of breast problems, your doctor or nurse might give you a breast exam.

Also Check: Can Men Die From Breast Cancer

Teen Breast Cancer Causes And Symptoms

There are times that teen girls may discover a small lump in their breast, but it is almost always benign and typically triggered by normal hormonal fluctuations. These noncancerous lumps usually go away on their own. However, there are symptoms a doctor should be made aware of:

• The breast tissue hurts outside of normal soreness caused by a menstrual period
• Breast tissue puckers or dimples
• Itchy or scaly rash on breast
• Unexplained changes in breast symmetry, shape, and size
• Breast swelling, red, or hot to touch
• Nipple discharge is liquid or bloody
• Lump spreads to armpit or collarbone
• Lump is painful
• Lump is fixed to the chest wall

Due to the high amount of treatment options for teen breast development, the survival rate is high. Teenagers are healthy enough to tolerate the most aggressive therapies used to treat breast cancer. Thats why its best to avoid high-risk lifestyle behaviors that can increase this risk. The American Cancer Society has noted that although environmental and lifestyle behaviors are not strongly associated with breast cancer, its best to avoid engaging in risky ones like smoking and consistently unhealthy diets. Other behaviors like radiation exposure to treat other diseases like leukemia or Hodgkins disease in young girls can increase the risk of breast cancer development, which takes an average of 20 years to develop.

Breast Cancer Stages 04

Doctors use stages of breast cancer to describe how far along the cancer has grown or spread. Stages range from 0 to 4 . Each stage has further subcategories of A, B, or C.

Stage 0 The cancer is noninvasive and shows no evidence of leaving the part of the breast where it began. One type of stage 0 cancer is ductal carcinoma in situ .

Stage 1 The cancer cells are spreading to surrounding breast tissue, but the group of cancer cells or the tumor remains very small. It is usually easily treatable.

Stage 2 The cancer has begun to grow but it remains only in the breast or nearby lymph nodes. Treatment is not usually very difficult.

Stage 3 The cancer has begun invading lymph nodes, muscle, and other body tissue near the breast, but it has not reached organs farther away. Treatments vary according to the person and type of breast cancer.

Stage 4 The cancer is very advanced and has spread to several organs or other parts of the body. Stage 4 breast cancer is considered incurable, but women may live several years or more with ongoing treatment.

Also Check: What Are Some Treatments For Breast Cancer

Benefits Of Mammographic Screening

The ACS systematic review also examined the effect of screening mammography on life expectancy. Although the review concluded that there was high-quality evidence that mammographic screening increases life expectancy by decreasing breast cancer mortality, the authors were not able to estimate the size of the increase 23.

Breast Cancer Is A Disease In Which Malignant Cells Form In The Tissues Of The Breast

The breast is made up of lobes and ducts. Each breast has 15 to 20 sections called lobes. Each lobe has many smaller sections called lobules. Lobules end in dozens of tiny bulbs that can make milk. The lobes, lobules, and bulbs are linked by thin tubes called ducts.

Breast cancer can occur in the breast tissue of both male and female children.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among females aged 15 to 39 years but less than 5% of all breast cancers occur in females in this age group. Breast cancer in females aged 15 to 39 years is more aggressive and more difficult to treat than in older women. Treatments for younger and older women are similar. Younger patients with breast cancer may have genetic counseling and testing for family cancer syndromes. Also, the possible effects of treatment on fertility should be considered.

Also Check: How Did You Know You Had Breast Cancer

Diet And Breast Cancer: Is There A Right Way To Eat

A healthy diet helps your body remain strong while you undergo breast cancer treatments. Your diet can help your body rebuild damaged tissue, reduce therapy side effects, or reduce the risk of infection.

A healthy diet includes a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, dairy, and lean, high-protein foods, such as chicken, fish, legumes, and beans. It is important to get enough calories each day even if you dont feel like eating.

Some breast cancer treatments may have side effects that make it difficult to eat well. These side effects may include nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, dehydration, a sore mouth or throat, weight gain, or changes to your sense of taste or smell.

Your doctor can help you identify strategies to treat these side effects, reduce their impact, and find ways to eat as healthfully as possible despite the effects.

Foods to avoid during breast cancer treatment include alcohol, fried or greasy foods, and foods with high amounts of fat or sugar.

Treatment Of Breast Cancer In Teens

Doctors treat secretory adenocarcinoma by surgically cutting out the cancer while sparing as much breast tissue as possible.

Doctors consider chemotherapy and radiation on a case-by-case basis. The risks these treatments pose to young, developing bodies may outweigh the benefits.

Depending on the type of therapy and how long it lasts, it can affect your fertility and increase your chances of other cancers.

You can still breastfeed after breast or nipple surgery. However, some people may produce less milk than others.

85 percent . This means that theyre 85 percent as likely to live another 5 years as 15- to 19-year-old U.S. girls without breast cancer.

The 5-year relative survival rate for women 20 years old and older who were diagnosed between 2011 to 2017 is 90.3 percent .

Because breast cancer is so rare in teens, doctors and teens may adopt a watch-and-wait approach, and delay treatment. That may account for the lower survival rate for teens with breast cancer compared with adult women with the condition.

Breast cancer is extremely rare in teens, but you should still check abnormalities. Adopting certain habits now can also help prevent breast cancer later. These include:

Also Check: What Is Primary Breast Cancer

Pregnancy During And After Breast Cancer

Pregnant women who receive standard chemotherapies for breast cancer during the second and third trimester have outcomes comparable to non-pregnant breast cancer patients .

The desire for future pregnancy can affect selection of treatment protocol. One multicenter study showed that 19% of young breast cancer patients refused endocrine therapy, or chose one chemotherapy regimen over another, based on the wish to bear children in the future . Pregnancy following a diagnosis of breast cancer does not impact mortality. A large meta-analysis showed a lower relative risk of death among women who bore a child after a breast cancer diagnosis . The POSITIVE study is prospectively evaluating outcomes of pregnancy following breast cancer.

Children And Adolescents With Breast Cancer Should Have Their Treatment Planned By A Team Of Doctors Who Are Experts In Treating Childhood Cancer

Treatment will be overseen by a pediatric oncologist, a doctor who specializes in treating children with cancer. The pediatric oncologist works with other pediatric health professionals who are experts in treating children with cancer and who specialize in certain areas of medicine. This may include the following specialists and others:

Surgery is done to remove the tumor, but not the whole breast.

Don’t Miss: Does Breast Cancer Cause Bruising

When To Be Concerned About Breast Lumps In Boys & When To Relax

Ill give you some guidelines for when to be concerned about a breast lump and when you can relax.

Puberty is a time of dramatic changes in the body, especially in the reproductive system. These transformations are brought about by surges of complex and precisely balanced hormones. The last time your 12-year-old had these tides of hormones was when he was a newbornbut then the hormones were yours. Coursing through his blood, your hormones matured his lungs, made him ready for life in the big outside world, and along the way may have given him baby acne and breast enlargementeven nipples that leaked milk. This precious newborn season was gone in a blink, but now your 12-year-old son is making surges of these same hormones, which can cause many of those same effects!

There are five stages of the changes that occur during puberty, called Tanner stages or Sexual Maturity Rating stages. Breast lumps in boys are common during SMR 3 and SMR 4.

Sperm is first produced during SMR 3.

Boys grow at their fastest during SMR 3 and SMR 4 . With your son, youre probably seeing him outgrow his beginning-of-the-year school clothes alreadyespecially his shoes. During SMR 3, the feet and hands usually grow first, then the arms and legs, and finally the trunkgiving them that adorable adolescent gawky look .

SMR 3 also marks the beginning of significant underarm perspiration .

And teenage acne usually begins at SMR 3, continuing on until the end of puberty.

What Is Breast Cancer Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment And Prevention

Breast cancer is a disease that starts in the breast with a malignant tumor. A malignant tumor is a mass of cells that grows out of control. The cancerous cells can also metastasize, or move to other tissues or parts of the body.

The cancer can develop in any of the three types of breast tissue: lobules, ducts, and connective tissue.

Most cancer begins in the lobules , or in the ducts, along which milk travels to the nipple. But tumors can also develop in the fibrous and fatty connective tissue that surrounds the lobules and ducts.

Several different types of breast cancer exist. The type of breast cancer and its stage, or how far it has grown, determine the treatment for it.

Breast cancer that spreads into normal tissue is called invasive breast cancer. Noninvasive breast cancer stays within the breast lobule or duct.

Also Check: How Is Radiation Administered For Breast Cancer

Finding Your Best Treatment Team

After receiving a diagnosis, you will have several decisions to make about the healthcare providers who will handle your treatment.

Cancer treatment usually involves a team of people, such as a surgeon, a medical oncologist, a nurse practitioner, a counselor, a patient navigator, and specialists associated with your cancer type.

Factors to consider in choosing your oncologist and treatment team are their expertise in your cancer type, what your insurance will cover, your ability to travel to and from appointments and procedures, and recommendations from others.

Even after you have a treatment team, it is a good idea to look for another oncologist to get a second opinion on your diagnosis and treatment options. It is acceptable and sometimes common to change doctors during your treatment if you need to.

Checking Yourself For Breast Cancer

Breast self-exams to check for lumps and other changes can help women detect the early signs of cancer.

Even more important than looking for specific changes is knowing how your breasts feel normally. A change in their shape or texture, a new lump, or other significant change could signal a problem, including cancer.

Women should also get regular breast exams from their doctor. Those at high risk of breast cancer may need annual mammograms, although teens almost never fall into this category.

You May Like: Molecular Subtypes Of Breast Cancer

Can Breast Cancer In Younger Women Be Prevented

For women with a family history that is suggestive of a hereditary predisposition for breast cancer, a referral for genetic counseling may be appropriate. Identifying such genetic conditions will allow for a more personalized discussion on screening and preventive treatment options. For example, screening in BRCA mutation carriers begins at the age of 25.

Measures that all women can take to reduce breast cancer risk include:

• Achieving and maintaining ideal body weight
• Limiting alcohol consumption
• Getting regular exercise

That being said, if breast cancer does develop, early detection and prompt treatment can significantly increase a woman’s chances of survival. More than 90% of women whose breast cancer is found in an early stage will survive.

Young women should be counseled on breast awareness and to report any breast changes to their healthcare provider. These changes can include:

Can A 12 Year Old Boy Get Breast Cancer

Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!

Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!

HealthTap doctors are based in the U.S., board certified, and available by text or video.

You May Like: Early Stages Of Breast Cancer

Types Of Cancer That Develop In Children

The types of cancers that occur most often in children are different from those seen in adults. The most common cancers of children are:

• Brain and spinal cord tumors
• Rhabdomyosarcoma

Other types of cancers are rare in children, but they do happen sometimes. In very rare cases, children may even develop cancers that are much more common in adults.

Breast Cancer Risk Factors

Family history of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or other hereditary breast and ovarian syndrome- associated cancer

Also Check: Stages Of Breast Cancer And Treatment

Signs Of Breast Cancer Include A Lump Or Thickening In Or Near The Breast

These and other signs and symptoms may be caused by breast cancer or by other conditions.

Check with your child’s doctor if your child has any of the following:

• A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area.
• A change in the size or shape of the breast.
• A dimple or puckering in the skin of the breast.
• A nipple turned inward into the breast.
• Fluid, other than breast milk, from the nipples, including blood.
• Scaly, red, or swollen skin on the breast, nipple, or areola .
• Dimples in the breast that look like the skin of an orange, called peaudorange.

Breast Cancer And Teenage Girls

If youre a teenage girl, you might be worried about your risk of getting breast cancer.

Developing breast cancer when youre a teenager is extremely rare. Its also uncommon in women in their 20s and 30s. The vast majority of breast cancers are diagnosed in women over the age of 50.

There can be a lot of unreliable information and scare stories on the internet, so its important to use reputable websites or talk to your GP if youre worried about any changes to your breasts. You can also call our Helpline free on 0808 800 6000 to speak with one of our experts.

You May Like: Is It Possible For Men To Have Breast Cancer

What Is The Average American Womans Risk Of Being Diagnosed With Breast Cancer At Different Ages

Many women are more interested in the risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer at specific ages or over specific time periods than in the risk of being diagnosed at some point during their lifetime. Estimates by decade of life are also less affected by changes in incidence and mortality rates than longer-term estimates. The SEER report estimates the risk of developing breast cancer in 10-year age intervals . According to the current report, the risk that a woman will be diagnosed with breast cancer during the next 10 years, starting at the following ages, is as follows:

• Age 30 . . . . . . 0.49%
• Age 40 . . . . . . 1.55%
• Age 50 . . . . . . 2.40%
• Age 60 . . . . . . 3.54%
• Age 70 . . . . . . 4.09%

These risks are averages for the whole population. An individual womans breast cancer risk may be higher or lower depending on known factors, as well as on factors that are not yet fully understood. To calculate an individual womans estimated breast cancer risk, health professionals can use the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool, which takes into account several known breast cancer risk factors.