Paget’s breast disease, also called breast or nipple, is a type of breast cancer that affects the nipple and areola. Its appearance is very similar to that of eczema, and for this reason, it is often diagnosed and manifested late, which can be fatal on many occasions.
This disorder presents a reddish plaque with erythematous, scaly, and irregular edges. It is located in the nipple or very close to it and usually measures between 3 and 15 cm. This pathology affects a low percentage of women with breast cancer, occurring in 1 in 8 women.
This disorder is due to cancer cells called Paget cells, which are located in the epidermis, that is, in the superficial layer of the skin of the nipple and the areola of the breast. Like all types of cancer, it can be fatal, so you must undergo constant medical check-ups to be able to diagnose it in time.
If you don’t know much about this alteration, at FastlyHealwe, provide you with all the information you need about Paget’s breast disease: symptoms and treatment.
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What Causes Paget’s Disease of the Breast?
Although the exact cause of Paget disease of the breast is not known, two theories claim to explain what causes it. First, it is believed that cancer cells from a tumor inside the breast travel through the milk ducts to the nipple and areola. This hypothesis is widely accepted as it would explain why Paget’s tumors and cancer are generally always found together inside the breast.
The second theory ensures that the cells located in the nipple or the areola become cancerous on their own. In this way, it would be understood why many women suffer from Paget’s breast disease without a tumor inside it.
Primary symptoms of Paget’s cancer
Frequently, the symptoms in women suffering from Paget’s breast disease are confused with benign skin conditions, such as eczema or atopic dermatitis. Symptoms of this type of breast cancer can include:
- Itch
- Redness
- Tingling in the areola or nipple.
- Peeling or thickened skin may be seen at the site
- Scabs
- Flattened nipple
- Yellowish or bloody nipple discharge.
As the symptoms are confused with different skin conditions and because this type of cancer is sporadic compared to others, the first diagnosis is likely to be wrong. This is why you must carry out regular checks, especially if there are rare signs that are not normal in your body.
Treatment to cure nipple cancer
As it is a type of breast cancer, Paget’s breast disease can be treated by undergoing breast-conserving surgery instead of a mastectomy, accompanied by radiation therapy. In this way, the risk of cancer recurrence is significantly reduced.
If you opt for a mastectomy and radiation therapy, your doctor will likely also advise you to undergo breast reconstruction treatment. Some specialists say that this reconstruction is preferable before radiation therapy, while others consider the opposite. This is why you should consult a specialist, and they will tell you the best way to carry out the treatment.
After surgery and radiation therapy, you may need chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or hormone therapy. In most cases, when Paget disease of the breast is diagnosed, there is another invasive cancer in some other part of the breast, so treatment will depend on the type of cancer you have.
At FastlyHealwe also talk to you about the remedies to reduce the effects of chemotherapy so that the impact of this treatment on your health is less.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Paget’s disease of the breast: symptoms and treatment, we recommend that you enter our category of Female reproductive system.
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.