Paget's disease of the breast, also known as Paget's disease of the nipple, is a rare type of breast cancer with symptoms that differ from those of other types of breast cancer.
Symptoms: For many types of breast cancer, the first symptom is a lump in the breast. In Paget's disease of the breast, there is another sign you are likely to notice first and it involves the nipple and areola of the breast, where you may have:
- rash
- irritation, crust
- a tingling sensation or itching
These symptoms can be confused with eczema, dermatitis, or other skin conditions, but Paget's disease usually only occurs in one breast and does not go away even with treatment.
Some other signs that signal something more than a skin condition:
- thickening of the skin on or near the nipple
- yellow or blood-like fluid in the nipple
- increased sensitivity, pain
Risk factors
- age
- history of breast cancer
- have relatives with breast or ovarian cancer
- BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations
- dense breast tissue
- overweight, especially after menopause
- hormone replacement therapy
- alcohol
For more information on Pink October, breast cancer awareness month, read the following articles:
