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Paget Disease of the Breast

(Paget's Disease of the Nipple)

By

Vinod E. Nambudiri

, MD, MBA, EdM, Harvard Medical School

Reviewed/Revised Jan 2024
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Topic Resources

Paget disease of the breast is a type of breast cancer Type of tissue Type of tissue that originates in milk ducts under the nipple but first appears on the skin.

Paget disease of the breast occurs mainly on the nipple and results from a cancer of the breast milk ducts that has spread to the skin of the nipple. Both men and women are affected. The underlying cancer may or may not be felt by the person or the doctor.

Sometimes Paget disease of the breast develops in areas other than the breast (called extramammary Paget disease). It can develop in the groin or genital area or around the anus as the result of a cancer originating in underlying sweat glands or even in nearby structures such as the bladder, anus, and rectum.

Symptoms of Paget Disease of the Breast

Diagnosis of Paget Disease of the Breast

  • Biopsy

As with other cancers, once the diagnosis of Paget disease of the breast is confirmed, doctors do an examination and tests to see whether the cancer has spread.

Treatment of Paget Disease of the Breast

  • Treatment of the underlying breast cancer, including removal of the nipple and areola

  • For extramammary Paget disease, surgery or laser therapy

Paget disease of the breast is usually treated like other types of breast cancer Treatment Breast cancer occurs when cells in the breast become abnormal and divide into more cells uncontrollably. Breast cancer usually starts in the glands that produce milk (lobules) or the tubes ... read more Treatment , and the nipple and the area of pigmented skin around the nipple (areola) are surgically removed.

More Information

The following English-language resources may be useful. Please note that THE MANUAL is not responsible for the content of these resources.

NOTE: This is the Consumer Version. DOCTORS: VIEW PROFESSIONAL VERSION
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