In October of 2015, young Chrissy Turner found a lump in her breast. She was 8 years old at the time. ‘Is breast cancer in children really a thing?’ you might ask. How can nature be so cruel? 

She was immediately taken in for testing, with doctors optimistic about the prognosis. She was 8 years old after all. Cancer in any form was hard to fathom. Whatever was going on, it would be handled swiftly.

A biopsy was performed and the result was confirmation of a malignant tumor. Secretory breast carcinoma was the official diagnosis. It’s the rarest form of breast cancer, only occurring in 0.15% of breast cancer patients. Cruel indeed. (1)

So, Chrissy had a mastectomy in early December of 2015, removing her right breast and lymph nodes.

Unfortunately, the recurrence of this type of cancer is quite high, so she will continue to see a doctor every 3 months in an effort to stay in front of it. If all is still well when she reaches her teens, she can begin having reconstructive surgeries.

What Is Secretory Breast Carcinoma?

This rare form of cancer was at one time almost exclusively studied in juveniles. It has even been found in young boys. (1) So, unfortunately, yes. Child breast cancer really is a thing. A rare one, thankfully.

As the name suggests, it’s cancer that forms when glands secrete cells, which then mutate into cancer cells. It tends toward slow growth, but not in all cases; the treatment options are varied and debatable because it’s just so rare. There is not as much understanding, as is true with some other cancers. (2) 

Family Ties

Chrissy’s parents have struggled with cancer too. Her mother Annette was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2000, but mercifully, they caught it early enough that she only needed a lumpectomy. Then her father, Troy, was diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2008 and was successful in beating it. But in 2011, it came back. Frustratingly, almost unbelievably, the cancer was growing too slowly to be able to treat. So, in an awful game of wait-and-see, he goes to the doctor every 3 months to check in on its progress. (3) 

Knowledge Is Power

One of the scariest things about diseases like cancer is that you just don’t know… you have no way of knowing…how it will shake out. In just one family we’ve observed three very different types of cancer, all diagnosed in under a decade. This might not sound like a case for “all’s well folks!” but, no amount of worry is going to change a course of events. Action can, but not worry.

There are so many different types of cancer, it’s impossible to know if we’ve even seen them all. Couple that with each individual body’s reaction to treatment, and you have any number of ways a situation could go. The possibilities are limitless. 

So, it’s good to be aware of stories like this. Not just because of the positive outcome, but also because it’s so rare. It’s something to be aware of, but knowledge is power, and by understanding just a little more, you can give your mind some peace by being vigilant with your healthcare instead of living in fear.