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Paget's Disease of the Breast

Definition

Paget's disease of the breast is a rare form of breast cancer that almost exclusively occurs in women. However, rare cases have been recorded in which men have been affected. The condition was originally reported in 1874 by Sir James Paget, an English surgeon, who also described an unrelated skeletal condition known as Paget's disease of the bone. It is essential to note that these disorders are distinct disease entities that are medically unrelated.

Getting Diagnosed / Treatment

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Learn more about Paget's Disease of the Breast

Paget's disease of the breast is characterized by inflammatory, "eczema-like" changes of the nipple that may extend to involve the areola, which is the circular, darkened (pigmented) region of skin surrounding the nipple. Initial findings often include itching (pruritus), scaling, and crusting of and/or discharge from the nipple. In those with Paget's disease of the breast, distinctive tumor cells (known as Paget cells) are present within the outermost layer of skin (epidermis) of the nipple. In addition, the condition is often associated with an underlying malignancy (i.e., cancer) of the milk ducts (ductal carcinoma). The malignancy may be confined to cells lining the milk ducts (carcinoma in situ) or may have invaded surrounding tissue (infiltrating carcinoma). (The milk ducts [lactiferous ducts] are the channels that carry milk secreted by lobes of the breast to the nipple.) Paget's disease of the breast is thought to represent approximately two to four percent of breast cancers.

Further Reading

From the Cancerbackup web site, their page on Paget's Disease.

From the National Cancer Institute's web site: Paget's Disease Q & A

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