Symptoms of Paget’s Disease of the Nipple

This disease is also called Pagets disease of the breast. It is a cancer that forms in or around the nipple and it is quite uncommon.

Most women who develop Pagets disease of the nipple also have breast cancer, but only 5% of women with breast cancer also develop Pagets disease.

Sir James Paget was a busy fellow who has several other types of diseases named after him such as Pagets disease of the bone and Pagets disease of the vulva.

Symptoms of Pagets disease of the nipple are:

- redness of the nipple skin

- scaling and flaking of the nipple skin

- itching and irritation of the nipple skin

- sensitivity, burning and pain of the nipple skin

- discharge from the nipple

BUT before you start to stress, the aroela or skin around the nipple can also suffer from eczema.

This is an itchy red rash, which as you can see is also a symptom of Pagets disease, so the first thing you need to do is check in with your doctor.

The first thing she will do is conduct a breast exam and then if she is concerned she will book you in for a biopsy and a mammogram. This is the only way to determine if you have Paget’s disease.

The reason for the breast exam? 95% of women with Pagets disease also have underlying breast cancer and a lump will be able to be felt.

This is yet another good reason to do amonthly self breast exam!

Large breasts do not tip the odds in your favour when it comes to getting breast cancer or Pagets disease of the nipple.

There are absolutely no studies that prove that women with large breasts are any more likely than women with very small breasts to suffer from these diseases.