Mum shares surprising symptom after her little girl, 7, is one of youngest ever to be diagnosed with breast cancer
A mother has revealed how she found out her little girl had breast cancer and was one of the youngest children to ever develop breast cancer.
The young woman, who is now 7 years old, started showing signs at the age of five, her mother said.
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After the shocking diagnosis, the little girl underwent surgery to remove her affected breast and prevent the cancerous tumor from spreading to other parts of her body.
Breast cancer is uncommon in children and occurs mainly in women aged 50 and over, according to the NHS.
Symptoms often include a new lump or thickened tissue and changes in the shape or size of the breast.
The Chilean mother was surprised to find a lump on her little one and said her daughter was struggling to understand the situation.
“As I was drying and applying lotion, I noticed a small bump under her nipple,” said the Chilean mother.
“The doctor told me that this was not normal and that it would grow if left for a long time, but he never told me it would happen.
“My daughter is now mutilated and that is the pain I have to live with.”
Pediatric hematologist and oncologist Francisco Barriga said a case of a child under the age of 7 with the disease was entirely anecdotal.
Felipe Tagle, president of the Chilean Association of Cancer Patients, said many doctors were initially reluctant to take on the case because of its uniqueness.
The family is currently awaiting test results to find out if the tumor has spread to other parts of the body.
Her mother said, “My daughter is now mutilated and that is the pain I have to live with.”
She said her young daughter does not yet fully understand the extent of her diagnosis and ongoing treatment.
The signs of breast cancer to look out for
The National Cancer Institute (NC) in the US states that childhood breast cancer is usually treated with radiation therapy.
Medical professionals said the signs in children are no different from those in an adult.
The NIC’s guidance states that you should contact your child’s doctor if your child has any of the following conditions:
- A lump or swelling in or near the breast or armpit area.
- A change in the size or shape of the breast.
- A dimple or ripple in the skin of the breast.
- A nipple turned inward into the chest.
- Fluid, other than breast milk, from the nipples, including blood.
- Scaly, red, or swollen skin on the breast, nipple, or areola (the dark area of skin around the nipple).
- Dimples in the chest that look like the skin of an orange, called peau d’orange.
The mum added: “The only thing she mentions to me when I take her to the oncologist is that she doesn’t want to go bald.
“Furthermore, she doesn’t understand that she lost her breast.”
She said she fears how her daughter will feel about her body as she gets older.
If the girl’s diagnosis doesn’t improve, the family said they will see specialists in Barcelona, Spain, who have more experience treating young cancer patients.
Cases of children developing this young breast cancer are rare.
It was revealed that a four-year-old girl in Canada had contracted the disease.
Her mother said she struggled with a lump for 15 months before finally being diagnosed.
Also in 2015, an eight-year-old girl in Utah, USA, Chrissy Turner, was diagnosed after finding a lump.
In the UK, if a child develops symptoms of breast cancer, they will be examined by the Children and Adolescent Breast Service.
https://www.the-sun.com/health/7329917/mum-surprising-symptom-girl-youngest-breast-cancer/ Mum shares surprising symptom after her little girl, 7, is one of youngest ever to be diagnosed with breast cancer