The Rarest Form of Breast Cancer

While the level of awareness of breast cancer has certainly increased in the last few years, many women are still not aware of a rare type of breast cancer known as Padget’s disease. Technically termed Paget disease of the breast, this type of cancer typically affects the nipple area. Unfortunately, many women die each year as a result of this disease simply because they and their health care professionals failed to recognize the disease in time to treat it.

This disease may first appear as a type of eczema because it causes scaly changes of the skin. Women who are nursing may think that the changes they experience in their breasts are simply a result of nursing. The nipple may also become inflamed as well as the areola, the area which surrounds the nipple. Other symptoms may include itching, crusting, bleeding and ulceration. The nipple may become inverted, or turned inward. A discharge may also appear from the nipple. Many cases of this disease are also accompanied by a lump or palpitation in the breast.

Although Paget’s disease is quite rare, amounting for only about 4% or less of all cases of breast cancer, it is never the less quite a serious condition which can be fatal if left undiagnosed and untreated. Generally women in their fifties are the most at risk for this disease, although women who are younger or older may also develop it as well.

One of the most dangerous factors related to Paget’s disease is the fact that it may not be detected by a mammogram. In fact, there have been many cases in which women had a clear mammogram only to be soon after diagnosed with this disease.

While the symptoms of this disease may cause it to be commonly confused with common skin conditions such as psoriasis, dermatitis or eczema, a biopsy can determine whether the condition is actually cancer.

Treatment options are dependent on whether the cancer has spread and the extent of the breast which may be affected by the cancer. Surgery is commonly used to treat this form of breast cancer. In some cases, only a section of the breast may need to be removed, while other cases may require mastectomy. Radiotherapy or chemotherapy may be required as follow up treatment in order to completely eradicate the disease.

This disease should not be confused with Paget’s disease of the bone, which is a chronic bone disease; named for the same physician that discovered this rare type of breast cancer.

 
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