Phyllodes tumor in adolescents. Report of two cases and review of the literature

Two cases of a phyllodes tumor in adolescents are herein reported. A 15-year-old girl complained of right breast enlargement and underwent a local excision. The tumor, measuring 11 cm in size, indicated a grossly cabbage-like appearance and an extremely hypercellular stroma with minimal atypia or mitosis. 13-year-old girl exhibited a painless large breast tumor and also underwent a local excision. The tumor, measuring 11 cm in size, was lobulated with cystic spaces and composed of fibroblastic stroma and benign ducts. A total of 291 cases of phyllodes tumors collected from the literature were then reviewed, comparing the 97 adolescent cases with the 194 adult cases. Phyllodes tumor in adolescents was characterized by local excision (96%), benign histology (91%), low incidence of recurrence (12%) and metastasis (3%), and high survival rate (97%). These cases indicate that phyllodes tumors in adolescents have a more benign course and a more favorable outcome than in adults, and a local excision is preferred to mastectomy as the initial therapy.