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Paget's Disease
Paget’s disease is rare, affecting less than 3% of all breast cancer patients. It presents as itchiness and scaling on the nipple, which is caused by cancer cells growing into the nipple skin. The disease can spread gradually into the areola and breast from the milk ducts that drain out to the nipple.
Paget’s disease is commonly mistaken for eczema. Eczema is a fairly harmless skin condition that is far more common than Paget’s disease. If you notice persistent skin irritation that does not heal, see your doctor for a professional diagnosis.
There are two variants of Paget’s disease. The first has an associated breast mass that can be invasive. In this case, treatment is the same as it is for invasive breast cancer.
The other variant is ductal carcinoma in situ and involves just the nipple-areola complex. In this case, the cancer is not as aggressive and rarely spreads to the lymph nodes.