Starting in 2008, the Adolescent Breast Center has conducted research to better understand the patients and conditions we treat. The goal of this research is to measure how benign chest and breast conditions affect the physical and psychosocial well-being of adolescent patients. These conditions include macromastia, gynecomastia, breast asymmetry, and tuberous breast deformity, which are common in adolescent girls and boys and are a significant source of emotional distress. Very little outcome data exists on these breast conditions in adolescents. As a result, there are very few evidence-based guidelines for pediatricians and plastic surgeons in the treatment of these conditions.
Our studies have been the first to examine long-term functional and psychological outcomes following treatment of boys and girls with benign breast conditions. This ongoing research offers insight into these common adolescent breast and chest problems and will provide the foundation for studying long-term outcomes in this patient group. We hope that the work will ultimately contribute to the development of evidence-based treatment algorithms to optimize adolescent patient care.
Through our research, we have found significant deficits in the physical, emotional, and social well-being of adolescent girls and boys with various breast and chest conditions as compared to their peers. We believe early intervention and treatment can help alleviate the negative physical and psychosocial impact of these conditions. We stress to pediatricians a holistic approach to the treatment of adolescent breast conditions involving endocrinology, adolescent medicine, plastic surgery, general surgery, and nutrition.
Key publications
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Firriolo JM, Nuzzi LC, Schmidtberg LC, Labow BI. Perioperative Ketorolac Use and Postoperative Hematoma Formation in Reduction Mammaplasty: A Single Surgeon Experience of 500 Consecutive Cases. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2018 Nov;142(5)632e-638e.
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Nuzzi LC, Firriolo JM, Pike CM, et al. The Effect of Reduction Mammaplasty on Quality of Life in Adolescents With Macromastia. Pediatrics. 2017;140(5):e20171103.
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Pike CM, Firriolo JM, Ontiveros NC, Kuchibhotla SP, Oppel OK, Monoxelos LC, Greene AK, Labow BI. A Nonsurgical Approach to Adolescent Breast Asymmetry Using External Prostheses. J Adolesc Health. 2017 Aug;61(2):240-245.
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Pike CM, Nuzzi LC, DiVasta AD, Greene AK, Labow BI. Weight Changes After Reduction Mammaplasty in Adolescents. J Adolesc Health. 2015 Sep;57(3):277-81.
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Nuzzi LC, Cerrato FE, Webb ML, Rosen H, Walsh EM, DiVasta AD, Greene AK, Labow BI. Psychological impact of breast asymmetry on adolescents: a prospective cohort study. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2014 Dec;134(6):1116-23.
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Nuzzi LC, Cerrato FE, Erickson CR, Webb ML, Rosen H, Walsh EM, DiVasta AD, Greene AK, Labow BI. Psychosocial impact of adolescent gynecomastia: a prospective case-control study. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2013 Apr;131(4):890-6.
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Cerrato F, Webb ML, Rosen H, Nuzzi L, McCarty ER, DiVasta AD, Greene AK, Labow BI. The impact of macromastia on adolescents: a cross-sectional study. Pediatrics. 2012 Aug;130(2):e339-46.
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Webb ML, Cerrato F, Rosen H, DiVasta AD, Greene AK, Labow BI. The effect of obesity on early outcomes in adolescents undergoing reduction mammaplasty. Ann Plast Surg. 2012 Mar;68(3):257-60.
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Rosen H, Webb ML, DiVasta AD, Greene AK, Weldon CB, Kozakewich H, Perez-Atayde AR, Labow BI. Adolescent gynecomastia: not only an obesity issue. Ann Plast Surg. 2010 May;64(5):688-90.
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Nuzzi LC, Firriolo JM, Pike CM, Cerrato FE, DiVasta AD, Labow BI. The Effect of Surgical Treatment for Gynecomastia on Quality of Life in Adolescents. J Adolesc Health. 2018 Dec;63(6):759-765.?
How to participate
The Adolescent Breast Center is currently enrolling patients in a study to better understand chest and breast disorders. We hope that information from this study will help in the treatment of others in the future. If you're a current or potential patient and would like to learn more about the study, or are currently enrolled in the study, please email your inquires to the following study coordinators:
- Joseph M. Firriolo, MD (joseph.firriolo@childrens.harvard.edu)