| Status | Hoax | | Comments | The disease, called Paget's Disease, is real, but extremely rare and is associated with breast cancer. To get more information on this disease, contact The American Cancer Society.
| | Description | Paget's Disease
This is a rare form of breast cancer, and is on the outside of the
breast, on the nipple and aureola. It appeared as a rash, which later
became a lesion with a crusty outer edge. I would not have ever suspected
it to be breast cancer but it was.
My nipple never seemed any different to me, but the rash bothered me, so
I went to the doctor for that. Sometimes, it itched and was sore, but
other than that it didn't bother me. It was just ugly and a nuisance, and
could not be cleared up with all the creams prescribed by my doctor and
dermatologist for the dermatitis on my eyes just prior to this outbreak.
They seemed a little concerned but did not warn me it could be cancerous.
Now I suspect there are not many women out there who know a lesion or rash
on the nipple or aureola can be breast cancer.
Mine started out as a single red pimple on the aureola. One of the biggest
problems with Paget's disease of the nipple is that the symptoms appear to
be harmless. It is frequently thought to be a skin inflammation or
infection, leading to unfortunate delays in detection and care.
What are the symptoms? The symptoms include:
1. A persistent redness, oozing, and crusting of your nipple causing it
to itch and burn. (As I stated, mine did not itch or burn much, and had no
oozing I was aware of, but it did have a crust along the outer edge on one
side).
2. A sore on your nipple that will not heal. (Mine was on the aureola
area with a whitish thick looking area in center of nipple).
3. Usually only one nipple is affected.
How is it diagnosed?
Your doctor will do a physical exam and should suggest having a mammogram of
both breasts, done immediately. Even though the redness, oozing and
crusting closely resemble dermatitis (inflammation of the skin), your doctor
should suspect cancer if the sore is only on one breast. Your doctor should
order a biopsy of your sore to confirm what is going on.
They will take a sample of your breast tissue in that area to test for
cancer.
If the cancer is only in the nipple and not in the breast, your doctor
may recommend just removing the nipple and surrounding tissue or suggest
radiation treatments. Had my doctor caught mine right away, instead of
flaking it off as dermatitis, perhaps they could have saved my breast,
and it wouldn't have gone to my lymph nodes.
This message should be taken seriously and passed on to as many of your
friends as possible; it could save someone's life. My breast cancer has
spread and metastasized to my bones after receiving mega doses of
chemotherapy, 28 treatments of radiation and taking tamaxofin. If this
had been diagnosed as breast cancer in the beginning, perhaps it would not
have spread...
TO ALL READERS-
This is sad as women are not aware of Paget's disease. If, by passing
this around on the e-mail, we can make others aware of it, and its potential
danger, we are helping women everywhere. Please, if you can, take a moment
to forward this message to as many people as possible, especially to your
family and friends.
It only takes a moment, yet the results could save a life!
| | Related links | University of Pennsylvania
American Cancer Society
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