Paget's disease of the nipple is an uncommon
type of cancer that forms in or around the nipple.
Paget's disease of the nipple is almost always
associated with an underlying breast cancer.
Scientists do not know what causes Paget's
disease of the nipple, but two major theories have been suggested for
how it develops.
Symptoms of early-stage disease may include
redness or crusting of the nipple skin' symptoms of more advanced
disease often include tingling, itching, increased sensitivity, burning,
or pain in the nipple.
Paget's disease of the nipple is diagnosed by
performing a biopsy.
Surgery is the usual treatment for Paget's
disease of the nipple. Additional treatments may be recommended under
certain circumstances.
Many clinical trials for breast cancer are underway.
Paget's disease of the nipple, also called Paget's
disease of the breast, is an uncommon type of cancer that forms in or around the
nipple (1, 2, 3). More than 95 percent of people with Paget's disease of the
nipple also have underlying breast cancer; however, Paget's disease of the
nipple accounts for less than 5 percent of all breast cancers
(1). For instance, of the 211,240 new
cases of breast cancer projected to be diagnosed in 2005, fewer than 11,000 will
also involve Paget's disease of the nipple (4).
Most patients diagnosed with Paget's disease of the
nipple are over age 50, but rare cases have been diagnosed in patients in their
20s (1). The average age at diagnosis is 62 for women and 69 for men. The disease is rare among both
women and men.
Paget's disease of the nipple was named after Sir James
Paget, a scientist who noted an association between changes in the appearance of
the nipple and underlying breast cancer (1, 5). There are several other
unrelated diseases named after Paget, including Paget's disease of the bone
and Paget's disease of
the vulva; this fact sheet discusses only Paget's disease of the nipple.
What are the possible causes of Paget's disease of the nipple?
Scientists do not know exactly what causes Paget's disease of the nipple, but
two major theories have been suggested for how it develops (1, 2). One theory
proposes that cancer cells, called Paget cells, break off from a tumor inside
the breast and move through the milk ducts to the surface of the nipple,
resulting in Paget's disease of the nipple. This theory is supported by the fact
that more than 97 percent of patients with Paget's disease also have underlying
invasive breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) (1). DCIS, also called
intraductal carcinoma,
is a condition in which abnormal cells are present only in the lining of the
milk ducts in the breast, and have not invaded surrounding tissue or spread to
the lymph nodes. DCIS sometimes becomes invasive breast cancer. Invasive breast
cancer is cancer that has spread outside the duct into the breast tissue, and
possibly into the lymph nodes under the arm or into other
parts of the body.
The other theory suggests that skin cells of the nipple spontaneously become
Paget cells. This theory is supported by the rare cases of Paget's disease in
which there is no underlying breast cancer, and the cases in which the
underlying breast cancer is found to be a separate tumor from the Paget's
disease (1).
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the second most common cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. Symptoms include a lump in the breast or underarm area, nipple pain, change in breast size or shape, an inverted nipple, nipple discharge, and breast skin changes. Treatment may involve chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, hormone therapy, or surgery.
Paget's disease is a chronic bone disorder due to irregular breakdown and formation of bone tissue. Symptoms of Paget's disease include bone pain, headaches and hearing loss, pressure on nerves, increased head size, hip pain, and damage to cartilage of joints.
Breast lumps in women can have a variety of causes such as breast inflammation, infection, injuries, cancer, and non-cancerous growths. Breast lumps in women are diagnosed with physical exam, mammogram, ultrasound, MRI, and biopsy. Treatment of breast lumps in women depend on the cause.
The breast generally refers to the chest, however, more specifically, to the mammary gland. The mammary gland is a milk producing gland comprised largely of fat. Within the mammary gland is a complex network of branching ducts. The ducts exit from sac-like structures called lobules, which can produce milk in females. The darkened area around the nipple is called the areola. Common medical concerns in regard to the breast include breast lumps, breast cysts, breast cancer, and breast infections.
Male breast cancer accounts for 1% of all breast cancers, and most cases are found in men between the ages of 60 and 70. A man's risk of developing breast cancer is one in 1,000. Signs and symptoms include a firm mass located below the nipple and skin changes around the nipple, including puckering, redness or scaling, retraction and ulceration of the nipple. Treatment depends upon staging and the health of the patient.
Lymphedema is a common chronic, debilitating condition in which excess fluid called lymph collects in tissues and causes swelling in them. It is common after a mastectomy, lumpectomy or breast cancer surgery and radiation therapy.
Women's health is an important topic area to guide a woman through the stages of her life, as well as knowing the conditions and diseases that may occur. Educating yourself so that the transitions into different phases of life is key to a healthy, happy, and productive life.
Lifestyle changes, a healthy antioxidant-rich diet, exercise, and weight reduction can help reduce a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. It's important to be aware of how risk factors such as family history, lifestyle factors, breast conditions, radiation therapy, and hormonal factors may influence your chances of developing breast cancer. Mammography and breast self-examinations are crucial steps in breast cancer prevention.
Lymphedema is an
abnormal buildup of fluid that causes swelling, most often in the arms or legs. The condition develops when lymph
vessels or lymph nodes are missing, impaired, damaged, or removed.
There are two types of lymphedema: primary
and secondary.
Primary lymphedema is rare and is caused by the absence of, or abnormalities in, certain lymph vessels at birth.
Secondary lymphedema occurs as a result of a blockage or interruption that alters the flow of lymph through the lymphatic system and can develop from an infection, cancer, surgery, scar tissue formation, trauma, deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in a vein),
radiation, or other cancer treatment.
Who Is at Risk for Developing Lymphedema?
People who have had any of the following procedures may be at risk for developing lymphedema:
Simple mastectomy in combination with axillary (arm pit) lymph node removal./l...
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