Paget’s disease of the nipple

Paget’s disease of the nipple, also known as Paget’s disease of the breast, is a rare type of breast cancer.

The term Paget’s disease of the nipple is used to distinguish the condition from Paget’s disease of the bone, which occurs when the normal cycle of bone growth is disrupted, leading to the bones becoming weak and deformed.

A similar type of skin cancer can also occur in other parts of the body.

The rest of this section will use the term Paget’s disease to refer to Paget’s disease of the nipple or breast.

Symptoms

Paget’s disease usually affects the skin of one nipple and produces eczema-like symptoms, appearing as an itchy, red rash on the nipple that can extend to the darker area of surrounding skin (the areola).

It can also appear as a small ulcer or dry, red, flaky patches of skin similar to psoriasis.

Other possible symptoms include:

itchiness or a burning sensation – alongside visible changes to the nipple bleeding from the skin of the nipple

If you’re experiencing itchiness, burning or bleeding but the nipple looks normal and isn’t red, dry or scaly – this is extremely unlikely to be Paget’s disease but should still be checked by a doctor.