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EARLY HELP IS THE KEY….

Paget’s disease is a rare form of breast cancer that appears on the outer surface of the breast

A young woman developed a rash on her breast, similar to that appearing among young mothers nursing babies. On seeing a doctor, he treated her with antibiotics for infections as her mammogram had shown everything to be normal. But it continued to get worse and her doctor sent her for another mammogram. This time it showed a mass and the biopsy revealed a fast-growing malignancy.
Chemo was started in order to shrink the growth, followed by mastectomy, then another full round of chemo, and finally radiation. After about nine months of intense treatment, she was given a clean bill. After she had lived almost a year to its fullest, cancer returned to her body in the liver area.

After taking four rounds of treatment, she decided that she did not want to live with the after effects of chemo. But after living for five months in the company of her loved ones, she had to suddenly meet with her end. It was a sad end to a bubbly life.

Her life conveyed a message to all women, to be alert to anything that is not normal and seek help as soon as possible. She was suffering from what is called Paget’s Disease. It is a rare form of breast cancer that appears on the outside of the breast, on the nipple and areola. In her case, it appeared as a rash, which later became a lesion with a crusty outer edge. Although there was a sore and she had itching, it did not bother her much. So it was just an ugly nuisance for her that did not vanish even after applying all the creams and lotions prescribed by her dermatologist. 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 delay in detection and care.In her case, the breast cancer had spread and metastasised to her bones. If this had been diagnosed in the early stages, it could have probably been prevented from spreading. But unfortunately, not many are aware of the Paget’s disease.

Symptoms
Some of its symptoms include a persistent redness and crusting of the nipple, causing itching and a burning sensation and a sore on the nipple that does not get healed. Generally it is only one nipple that gets affected.

How is it diagnosed? Generally the doctor conducts a physical examination and suggests taking a mammogram of both the breasts, on noticing the above-mentioned symptoms. Even though the redness and crusting closely resemble dermatitis (inflammation of the skin), the doctor suspects cancer if the sore is found only on one breast, after which a biopsy is done for confirmation.

When to see your doctor
*You discover an unusual lump.
*You have a spontaneous nipple discharge, rough skin with enlarged pores, red patches or a bulge or dimpling in the contour of one of your breasts.
*Gaining or losing weight causes changes in the breasts. Prior to each menstrual period, the surge in estrogen and progesterone stimulates fluid retention and growth in breast tissue. Breasts may swell every month and also become tender and lumpy. Then when menopause arrives, they may lose their firmness. All these changes are normal and shouldn’t be a cause for alarm. According to doctors, “The time for concern is when you notice any sudden or unusual changes in the shape, texture or feel of the breasts.”

A dimpling in the nipple or the skin of the breast could be due to loss of elasticity in supporting the ligaments as you age. But dimpling may also be a sign that a tumour buried in the tissues is pulling on the skin or nipples. In the case of a tumour, dimpling might show up long before a lump becomes large enough to feel.
Here are some hints to help you spot changes in your breasts that should be brought to your doctor’s attention:

*Stand in front of the mirror and check whether one breast looks bigger than the other. Also check also for any puffiness or bulging, red or discoloured patches on the skin, or thickened areas with big pores or clear, bloody, sticky or yellow nipple discharge.
*Raise your arms behind your head. This stretches the breast tissue and makes swelling, dimpling or puckering more prominent. You can also get a good look when you put your hands on your hips and press your shoulders forward.
*Feel the entire breast from your collarbone over to your armpit for any changes.
Report any unusual findings. If you have found something that is not there in the other breast or you are unsure of your findings, see your doctor immediately