Recently a friend forwarded information to me that originated with a woman named Juanita who died from a rare from of breast cancer called Paget's Disease. She and her doctors were unaware at first that she even had cancer. Make sure, you, your mom, and your friends are aware of the symptoms.
This is a rare form of breast cancer; it is on the outside of the breast, on the nipple and areola. For Juanita it appeared as a rash, which later became a lesion with a crusty outer edge. She did NOT suspect that it was breast cancer, but it was.
Sometimes her nipple itched and was sore, but other than that it didn't bother her. It was just ugly and a nuisance; a rash that could not be cleared up with all the creams prescribed by her doctor and dermatologist.
A lesion or rash on the nipple or areola CAN be a sign of breast cancer.Symptoms include: 1. A persistent redness, oozing, and crusting of your nipple causing it to itch and burn. (Juanita's did not itch or burn much, and had no oozing she 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. (Junita's was on the areola area with a whitish thick looking area in center of nipple). 3. Usually only one nipple is affected.
Your doctor will do a physical exam and should suggest having a mammogram of both breasts 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 may order a biopsy of your sore to confirm what is going on.
Check out this easy to understand site for how to do a breast self exam (BSE).
Paget's Disease
Paget's disease is a type of skin cancer which occurs in both men and women and can affect either the breast or the genitals. There is also Paget's Disease of the Bone which is totally different. Both of these diseases were discovered by the same doctor, Sir James Paget, who was Queen Victoria's surgeon. The fact that both conditions carry his name can be confusing when doing research. Back