National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Secretory breast carcinoma



Other Names:
SBC; Juvenile breast carcinoma (formerly); Juvenile breast cancer (formerly); SBC; Juvenile breast carcinoma (formerly); Juvenile breast cancer (formerly); Secretory carcinoma of the breast See More
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Secretory breast carcinoma (SBC) is a very rare, slow-growing type of breast cancer. It was originally referred to as "juvenile breast carcinoma" because it was first recognized in children and adolescents.[1][2] However, many cases reported in the last several decades have occurred in adults of all ages.[1][3] SBC may occur in males or females but like other types of breast cancer, it is much more common in females. Signs and symptoms of SBC most commonly include a painless, firm mass in the breast, which may move when palpated. Some people with SBC also have nipple discharge. There is currently no consensus regarding treatment for SBC, and treatment options may depend on the person's age and the size of the tumor. Options may include surgery to remove the tumor or breast (mastectomy), surgery to also remove nearby lymph nodes, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. SBC may recur in some cases, but when this happens, it is often in the same area of the breast and after a long period of time (called a late local recurrence). SBC is usually associated with an excellent prognosis (prolonged survival), even when it spreads (metastasizes) to the lymph nodes.[1] The risk for SBC to spread to other parts of the body is thought to be extremely low.[2]
Last updated: 3/28/2018

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These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

In-Depth Information

  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Secretory breast carcinoma. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

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  1. Li D, Xiao X, Yang W, Shui R, Tu X, Lu H, Shi D. Secretory breast carcinoma: a clinicopathological and immunophenotypic study of 15 cases with a review of the literature. Mod Pathol. April, 2012; 25(4):567-575. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22157932.
  2. Aktepe F, Sarsenov D, Özmen V. Secretory Carcinoma of the Breast. J Breast Health. October, 2016; 12(4):174-176. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5351444/.
  3. Jacob JD, Hodge C, Franko J, Pezzi CM, Goldman CD, Klimberg VS. Rare breast cancer: 246 invasive secretory carcinomas from the National Cancer Data Base. J Surg Oncol. June, 2016; 113(7):721-725. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27040042.