Living with Paget disease of the nipple
A rare form of breast cancer that shows up on the nipple, most often in women in their 50s and 60s.
Understanding Paget disease of the nipple
It is seen most often in women ages 50 to 60. It happens when tumor cells grow into the nipple and the darker skin around it (the areola). It makes up about 1 to 3 percent of all new breast cancer diagnoses.
Signs & symptoms
Symptoms vary from person to person. GARD describes these signs:
- Fluid draining from the nipple
- Itching
- Redness (erythema)
- Crusty, scraped-looking nipple
- Thickened patches of skin
- Darker skin color (less often)
Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.
Diagnosis
- 1Talk with your doctor
Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.
- 2See a specialist
Specialists who may be involved include cancer specialists, maternal-fetal medicine specialists and women’s reproductive health specialists.
- 3Ask which tests can help
Your care team will decide which exams and tests can confirm the diagnosis.
Care & treatment
- Care team
- Cancer specialists (oncologists); Maternal-fetal medicine specialists (pregnancy-related); Women’s reproductive health specialists (obstetricians / gynecologists)
- Expert care
- Ask about multidisciplinary care centers for rare conditions
- Treatment
- GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
- Research
- Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.
General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.
Everyday life
Living with a rare condition is easier with support.
- Connect with Breastcancer.org and other patient organizations
- Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
- Ask about patient registries that help research
- Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Quick facts
GARD says this condition is due to tumor cells invading the nipple and areola. It doesn't describe what causes those cell changes yet.
Also known as: mammary paget disease; nipple paget's disease; paget disease of nipple; paget disease of the breast; paget's disease of nipple; paget's disease of the breast
Patient organizations
- Breastcancer.orgPaget disease of the nipple · United States
- CancerCarePaget disease of the nipple · United States
- Susan G. KomenPaget disease of the nipple · United States
- Young Survival CoalitionPaget disease of the nipple · United States
You are more than your diagnosis
Perspectives from people navigating life with Paget disease of the nipple.
Explore research for Paget disease of the nipple
Explore actively recruiting Paget disease of the nipple studies with HealthSpark.
Find actively recruiting studies for Paget disease of the nipple with HealthSpark. Share your city to explore research near you.
- Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
- Share your city to look for research near you
- Eligibility is confirmed by the study team
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Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.
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