Paget's Disease of The Nipple
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Key Points
- Paget's disease of the nipple is an uncommon
type of cancer that forms in or around the nipple.
- Paget's disease of the nipple is almost always
associated with an underlying breast cancer.
- Scientists do not know what causes Paget's
disease of the nipple, but two major theories have been suggested for
how it develops.
- Symptoms of early-stage disease may include
redness or crusting of the nipple skin' symptoms of more advanced
disease often include tingling, itching, increased sensitivity, burning,
or pain in the nipple.
- Paget's disease of the nipple is diagnosed by
performing a biopsy.
- Surgery is the usual treatment for Paget's
disease of the nipple. Additional treatments may be recommended under
certain circumstances.
- Many clinical trials for breast cancer are underway.
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What is Paget's disease of the nipple?
Paget's disease of the nipple, also called Paget's
disease of the breast, is an uncommon type of cancer that forms in or around the
nipple (1, 2, 3). More than 95 percent of people with Paget's disease of the
nipple also have underlying breast cancer; however, Paget's disease of the
nipple accounts for less than 5 percent of all breast cancers
(1). For instance, of the 211,240 new
cases of breast cancer projected to be diagnosed in 2005, fewer than 11,000 will
also involve Paget's disease of the nipple (4).
Most patients diagnosed with Paget's disease of the
nipple are over age 50, but rare cases have been diagnosed in patients in their
20s (1). The average age at diagnosis is 62 for women and 69 for men. The disease is rare among both
women and men.
Paget's disease of the nipple was named after Sir James
Paget, a scientist who noted an association between changes in the appearance of
the nipple and underlying breast cancer (1, 5). There are several other
unrelated diseases named after Paget, including Paget's disease of the bone
and Paget's disease of
the vulva; this fact sheet discusses only Paget's disease of the nipple.
Next: What are the possible causes of Paget's disease of the nipple? »
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