What is Paget's disease of the nipple?
Paget’s disease of the nipple* is a rare form of breast cancer that affects the nipple and the area around the nipple (the areola)
Many people with Paget’s disease of the nipple also have a breast cancer somewhere else in the same breast. The breast cancer may be an invasive breast cancer or it may be a ‘pre-invasive’ cancer such as ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS or lobular carcinoma in situ, or LCIS.
*Paget’s disease of the nipple should not be confused with Paget’s disease of the bone, which is a chronic, not cancerous, disease of bones.
How common is Paget’s disease of the nipple?
Around 2 out of every 100 cases of breast cancer involve Paget’s disease of the nipple. We don’t know how many people are diagnosed each year with Paget’s disease of the nipple without an underlying invasive breast cancer or DCIS.
What are the signs of Paget’s disease of the nipple?
The main sign of Paget’s disease of the nipple is a change in the nipple and/or areola, including:
- the nipple area might become hard, lumpy or crusty – it may look like dermatitis or eczema
- the nipple area might appear red or ‘angry-looking’
- there may be an ulcer
- the nipple might flatten out or turn inwards (invert)
- there may be a discharge or bleeding from the nipple
- the area might feel itchy or sore
- there may be a lump in the same breast.
