Juvenile Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia: A Case Report

Abstract

Breast masses, benign and malignant, are extremely common in women. Benign breast masses have a variety of risk factors and are usually most common in women aged 30 - 40 years. Although much research has been conducted on benign breast disease and breast cancer in adult women, there remains a paucity of data on breast masses in adolescent women. More specifically, there is very little evidence regarding atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) in young women and the future risks it may carry as it is known to have a 4 to 5-fold increase for breast cancer in the adult population. We present a case of an 18-year-old female with ADH involving a fibroadenoma, with the hopes of highlighting the unique concerns and questions this diagnosis may bring to the young female population. Our patient’s questions centered around the risk this diagnosis carries of future cancer and what steps should be taken to minimize that risk. Although many models and guidelines exist to answer these questions in the older female, there is no consensus about treatment and monitoring ADH in a juvenile. By reviewing this case, we emphasize the need for future studies to quantify the risk of cancer progression from ADH in young females. We also demonstrate the need for guidelines to monitor and treat these findings in our younger populations. J Curr Surg. 2022;12(1):21-23 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jcs453