Phyllodes Tumors Are Not Inherited and Will Not Be Passed to Children
Phyllodes tumors are not hereditary conditions and will not be passed on to your children. These are sporadic breast tumors that develop due to acquired cellular changes, not inherited genetic mutations 1, 2.
Understanding the Genetic Risk
The only established hereditary risk factor is Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a rare condition caused by germline p53 mutations, which increases the risk of developing phyllodes tumors among many other cancers 1.
If you do not have Li-Fraumeni syndrome, there is no increased risk to your children - phyllodes tumors occur as isolated, non-hereditary events in the vast majority of cases 1.
Li-Fraumeni syndrome would already be known in your family through a pattern of multiple early-onset cancers (breast cancer, sarcomas, brain tumors, adrenal tumors) affecting multiple family members across generations 1.
What This Means for Your Children
Your children have the same baseline population risk as anyone else for developing breast tumors, which is already extremely low in the pediatric and adolescent population 3, 4, 5.
Phyllodes tumors are exceptionally rare in children, accounting for less than 0.3-0.5% of all breast tumors, and when they do occur in pediatric patients, they are almost always benign 3, 4, 6.
No genetic testing or special surveillance is needed for your children unless you have a confirmed diagnosis of Li-Fraumeni syndrome or a strong family history suggesting this condition 1.