Breast, Paget's disease of
- Breast, Paget's disease of
- The combination of scaly skin changes of the nipple resembling eczema and an underlying cancer of the breast. The nipple is inflamed because of the presence of Paget's cells. These large irregular cells are themselves not cancerous, but they are almost always associated with a cancer in the breast. The reason for the Paget's cells is still a mystery. In Paget's disease, the nipple and areola (the area surrounding the nipple) are typically red, inflamed and itchy. There may be crusting, bleeding, or ulceration. The nipple may be inverted (turned inwards) and there may be a discharge from the nipple. There is a lump that can be palpated (felt) in the breast in almost half of cases. Paget's disease of the breast accounts for a small but significant minority (1 to 4%) of all breast tumors. It usually occurs in women in their fifties, but it can occur at a later age. Its occurrence in men is a great rarity. It is sometimes called Paget's disease of the nipple. The diagnosis of Paget's disease calls for a careful medical history and physical examination and usually a mammogram. The skin changes in Paget's disease can be confused with other skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis. A biopsy may be done to look for evidence of cancer below the skin surface. The biopsy is usually done using a local anesthetic, which numbs the area. A small piece of skin and underlying breast tissue is taken and sent to the laboratory to be examined under a microscope. Treatment depends on whether or not the cancer has spread to surrounding breast tissue and also on how much of the breast is affected. Surgery is the main treatment for Paget's disease of the breast. Most people with Paget's disease may require mastectomy. For some people, no further treatment is needed after surgery. Others may receive radiotherapy, the drug tamoxifen or chemotherapy. These may be used separately or together. The disease takes its name from the great English surgeon and pathologist Sir James Paget (1814-99). At St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, Paget first reported the association between skin changes of the nipple and the development of breast cancer in 1874. Paget also described a number of other disorders including Paget's disease of bone. He opposed authority and advocated the scientific approach in medicine. Together with his lifelong friend Rudolph Virkow in Germany, Paget is considered one of the founders of modern pathology.
Medical dictionary.
2011.
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Paget's disease — Sir James Paget, a surgeon and pathologist, described several diseases, including: Paget s disease of bone (most common use of Paget s disease) Paget s disease of the breast Paget Schroetter disease Extramammary Paget s disease (EMPD) This… … Wikipedia
Paget's disease of the breast — Paget s disease of the breast, also known as Paget s disease of the nipple, is a condition that outwardly may have the appearance of eczema with skin changes involving the nipple of the breast. Because of its seemingly innocuous and surface… … Wikipedia
Paget's disease — n. 1. a disease that deforms and weakens bones, in which rapid decalcification is followed by excessive calcification 2. a type of cancer usually involving the breast s larger ducts, areola, and nipple … English World dictionary
Paget's disease of the breast — The combination of scaly skin changes of the nipple resembling eczema and an underlying cancer of the breast. The nipple is inflamed because of the presence of Paget s cells. These large irregular cells are themselves not cancerous, but they are… … Medical dictionary
Paget's disease — Pag·et s disease .paj əts n 1) a rare form of breast cancer initially manifested as a scaly red rash on the nipple and areola 2) a chronic disease of bones characterized by their great enlargement and rarefaction with bowing of the long bones and … Medical dictionary
Paget's disease — 1) a chronic disease of bones, occurring in the elderly and most frequently affecting the skull, backbone, pelvis, and long bones. Affected bones become thickened and their structure disorganized: X rays reveal patchy sclerosis. There are often… … The new mediacal dictionary
Paget&’s disease — Breast carcinoma characterized by large cells with clear cytoplasm … Dictionary of molecular biology
Extramammary Paget's disease — Infobox Disease Name = PAGENAME Caption = DiseasesDB = ICD10 = ICD9 = ICDO = M8542/3 OMIM = MedlinePlus = eMedicineSubj = eMedicineTopic = MeshID = D010145Extramammary Paget’s disease (EMPD), also Extramammary Paget disease, is a usually non… … Wikipedia
Paget's disease — Pag′et s disease [[t]ˈpædʒ ɪts[/t]] n. 1) pat a disease characterized by episodic accelerated bone resorption and growth of abnormal replacement bone 2) pat an inflammatory condition of the nipple associated with breast cancer Etymology: 1875–80; … From formal English to slang
Paget's disease — noun Etymology: Sir James Paget died 1899 English surgeon Date: 1880 1. a rare form of breast cancer initially manifested as a scaly red rash on the nipple and areola 2. a chronic disease in which the bones become enlarged, weak, and deformed … New Collegiate Dictionary
