PAGET'S DISEASE OF THE NIPPLE is a rare form of breast cancer, and is on the outside of the breast, on the nipple and areola. It appears as a rash which later becomes a lesion with a crusty outer edge. It usually is not ever suspected to be breast cancer but it is. The nipple never seemed any different, but if the rash bothers you, go to the doctor.
    Sometimes it will itch and will be sore but other than that it will not really bother you. You may think it to be just ugly and a nuisance, but it will not clear up with all the creams given by the doctor and dermatologist. Doctors will show little concern  and will not warn you that it could be cancerous. There are not many women out there who know a lesion or rash on the nipple or areola can be breast cancer.
    What are the symptoms? Some times it starts out as a single red pimple on the areola. 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 skin inflammation or infection, leading to unfortunate delays in detection and care.
                                            THE SYMPTOMS INCLUDE :

    1:   A persistent redness, oozing, and crusting of your nipple causing it to itch and burn. (Some times it does not itch much or burn, and there is no oozing, but it does have a crust along the outer edge on one side)
    2: A sore on your nipple that will not heal. (Some times it is on the areola area with a whitish thick looking area in the center of the nipple)
    3: Usually only one nipple is affected. How is it diagnosed? Your doctor will do a physical exam, and should suggest having a mammogram of both breasts done 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 should order a biopsy of your sore to confirm what is going on.
    

     They will take a sample of your breast tissue in that area to test for cancer. If the cancer is only in the nipple and not in the breast, your doctor may recommend just removing the nipple and surrounding tissue or suggest radiation treatments. If the doctor catches it in time, instead of flaking it off as dermatitis perhaps then that will save the breast and prevent it from going to the lymph nodes.
     This message should be taken seriously and passed on to as many of your friends as possible. It could save some ones life. Breast cancer has spread and metastasised to many women's bones, this after receiving mega doses of chemotherapy, treatments of radiation and taking tamaxofin. 
    If these women had been diagnosed in the beginning as having breast cancer and treated right away, perhaps the cancer would not have spread.
   This is sad as women are not aware of Paget's disease. If by passing this around we can make others aware of it and its potential danger, we are helping women every where.

   PLEASE TELL THIS TO ALL THE WOMEN YOU CARE ABOUT; CANCER CAN BE FOUGHT IF WE ARE ALL AWARE!