Paget's Disease of the Nipple.

(Synonyms: Malignant Papillary Dermatitis; Paget's Disease.)

What do you understand by Paget's disease of the nipple?

Paget's disease is a rare, inflammatory-looking, malignant disease of the nipple and areola in women, usually of advancing years, eventually terminating in cancerous involvement of the entire gland.

Describe the symptoms of Paget's disease.

The first symptoms, which usually last for months or years, are apparently eczematous, accompanied with more or less burning, itching and tingling. Gradually, the diseased area, which is sharply-defined, and feels like a thin layer of indurated tissue, presents a florid, intensely red, very finely-granular, raw surface, attended with a more or less copious viscid exudation. Sooner or later retraction and destruction of the nipple, followed by gradual scirrhous involvement of the whole breast, takes place.

What is the pathology of Paget's disease?

Although it was thought at one time to be a cancerous disease resulting from a continued eczematous inflammation of the parts, there is now but little doubt that it is of malignant nature from the earliest stages. The psorosperm-like bodies found, to the presence of which the disease has by some authorities been attributed (psorospermosis), are now known to be merely changed and degenerated epithelia. The morbid changes consist of an inflammation of the papillary region of the derma, leading to œdema and vacuolation of the constituent cells of the epidermis, followed by their complete destruction in places and their abnormal proliferation in others (Fordyce).

State the diagnostic features of Paget's disease.

The age of the patient; the sharp limitation; the well-defined, indurated film of infiltration; the peculiar, red, raw, granulating appearance; and, later, the retraction of the nipple; and, finally, the involvement of the deeper parts.

What is the prognosis?

If the disease is recognized early, and properly treated, a cure may be anticipated; later the outlook is that of scirrhus of the breast.

What is the treatment of Paget's disease?

Thorough cauterization by means of caustic potash or the galvano-cautery; or, its extirpation by means of the curette or excision. After extirpation or cauterization, supplementary treatment by the x-ray is advisable as an additional measure of precaution against relapse.

Until the diagnosis is thoroughly established, soothing applications, such as are employed in acute eczema, are to be advised.