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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffPaget's disease of the breast affects your nipple and its surrounding skin (areola). It's easy to mistake the signs and symptoms for skin irritation (dermatitis) or another noncancerous (benign) skin condition of the nipple.
Possible signs and symptoms of Paget's disease of the breast include:
- Flaky or scaly skin on your nipple
- Crusty, oozing or hardened skin resembling eczema, on the nipple, areola or both
- Redness
- Itching
- A burning sensation
- Straw-colored or bloody nipple discharge
- A flattened or inverted nipple
- Affected areas beyond the nipple and areola
- A distinct lump underneath the nipple and areola
- Skin and nipple changes usually in one breast only
- Fluctuating skin changes early on, making it appear as if your skin is healing on its own
On average, a woman may experience signs and symptoms for six to eight months before a diagnosis is made.
When to see a doctor
Check your nipple and areola on both breasts on a regular basis, such as during breast self-exams. If you feel a lump or see skin irritation that persists for more than a month, see your doctor.
If you're being treated for a skin lesion on your breast, and the condition doesn't resolve with treatment, make a follow-up appointment with your doctor. You may need a biopsy — a procedure that collects a small tissue sample for microscopic analysis — to evaluate the affected area.
