MAMMARY PAGET’S DISEASE

SYMPTOMS

The signs and symptoms of Mammary Paget’s disease include:

• Thickening of the skin in the breast
• Inverted or flattened nipple
• redness
• breast lump
• itching
• a tingling sensation
• Flaking or scaling of the nipple skin
• Bloody or straw-colored nipple discharge
• hardened, crusty, or oozing that looks like eczema

Furthermore, the symptoms are frequently limited to one breast. Nevertheless, you should contact your doctor immediately when symptoms arise.

DIAGNOSIS

Paget’s disease of the breast is diagnosed using the following tests:

• Breast exam. Your doctor will feel for lumps of your armpit lymph nodes and your breasts.
• Mammogram. It is an X-ray to examine the breast. Your doctor will advise you on diagnostic mammography to investigate further.
• Breast ultrasound. A breast lump can be diagnosed through this, and determine whether it’s a solid lump or a cyst filled with fluid.
• MRI. You will be given a dye injection before your breast MRI.
• Biopsy. It is a process in which your surgeon takes a sample of tissue from your body.

TREATMENT

This kind of surgery is determined by the condition of your nipple’s skin. Furthermore, the following are surgical options:

• Mastectomy. This procedure involves the removal of the entire breast tissue.
• Lumpectomy. This procedure, otherwise known as breast-conserving surgery, only removes the part affected with cancer. This will be followed by radiation therapy to ensure that all the cancer cells are taken care of.
• Sentinel node biopsy. This involves the removal of a number of affected lymph nodes.
• Dissection of the axillary lymph nodes. If your sentinel lymph nodes are affected by the cancer cells, your doctor may consider removing some nodes in your armpit.
• Removing both breasts. Even if some people only have cancer in one breast, they may choose to have their other breast removed to reduce the recurrence of the condition.

Following surgery, you have the option to have your breasts reconstructed. Nevertheless, consult your surgeon about your alternatives and preferences first.