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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

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Illustration of nipple changes Nipple changes

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Paget's (PAJ-its) disease of the breast is a rare form of breast cancer. Paget's disease of the breast starts on the nipple and extends to the dark circle of skin (areola) around the nipple. Paget's disease of the breast isn't related to Paget's disease of the bone, a metabolic bone disease.

Paget's disease of the breast occurs most often in women older than age 50. Most women with Paget's disease of the breast have underlying ductal breast cancer, either in situ — meaning in its original place — or, less commonly, invasive breast cancer. Only in rare cases is Paget's disease of the breast confined to the nipple itself.

Symptoms
References
  1. AskMayoExpert. How is Paget disease of the breast treated? Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2012.
  2. AskMayoExpert. What are the clinical findings of Paget disease of the breast? Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2012.
  3. AskMayoExpert. Paget disease of the breast: Key facts. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2012.
  4. Paget disease of the breast. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Sites-Types/paget-breast. Accessed Feb. 11, 2013.
  5. Papadakis MA, et al. Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2013. 52nd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2013. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=1. Accessed Feb. 10, 2013.
  6. Karakas C. Paget's disease of the breast. Journal of Carcinogenesis. 2011;10:31.
  7. Goldsmith LA, et al., eds. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 8th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=740. Accessed Feb. 10, 2013.
  8. Dominici LS, et al. Current surgical approach to Paget's disease. American Journal of Surgery. 2012;204:18.
  9. Breast cancer risk in American women fact sheet. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/probability-breast-cancer.  Accessed Feb. 10, 2013.
  10. What is breast cancer? American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/detailedguide/breast-cancer-what-is-breast-cancer. Accessed Feb. 10, 2013.
  11. How is breast cancer treated? American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/overviewguide/breast-cancer-overview-treating-surgery. Accessed Feb. 11, 2013.
  12. Can breast cancer be prevented? American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/overviewguide/breast-cancer-overview-prevention. Accessed Feb. 11, 2013.
  13. Coping with cancer in everyday life. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/emotionalsideeffects/copingwithcancerineverydaylife/index. Accessed Feb. 21, 2013.
  14. After a breast cancer diagnosis: Questions to ask your doctor. Cancercare. http://www.cancercare.org/publications/46-after_a_breast_cancer_diagnosis_questions_to_ask_your_doctor. Accessed Feb. 25, 2013.
  15. Breast cancer: Coping with your changing feelings. Cancercare. http://www.cancercare.org/publications/88-breast_cancer_coping_with_your_changing_feelings. Accessed Feb. 25, 2013.
DS00771 March 27, 2013

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