Paget's Disease

Paget's disease is a rare type of skin cancer that originates in glands in or under the skin.

The term Paget's disease also refers to an unrelated metabolic bone disease (see Section 5, Chapter 61); these distinct diseases should not be confused with each other.

Paget's disease occurs mainly on the nipple and is the result of a cancer of the breast milk ducts that has spread to the skin of the nipple. Men and women are both affected. The underlying cancer may or may not be felt by the person or the doctor. Sometimes, Paget's disease develops in the genital area or around the anus as the result of a cancer originating in underlying sweat glands or even in nearby structures such as the genitals, intestines, or urinary tract.

The skin in Paget's disease appears red, oozing, and crusting. It looks like an inflamed, reddened patch of skin (dermatitis). Itching and pain are common. Because Paget's disease looks very much like common dermatitis, a biopsy is necessary to make the diagnosis.

Paget's disease of the nipple is managed like other types of breast cancer (see Section 22, Chapter 251). Paget's disease outside the breast area is treated by surgically removing the entire growth.