>Subject: Introducing Paget's disease to the ladies
>
>
>I think we may suffer mild itchiness on the breasts from time to
>time... but when do we know its not just another itch? Gut feeling?
>Think again. Do not take the risk. Its worth the little trouble of
>taking extra
precaution,
>be it in diet or personal hygiene. Read on.
>It takes a few minutes to read but a life time to know...
>
>PLEASE take the time to read the following message. It is a new form of
>breast cancer that we should all be aware of! I hope you will forward
>this to all of your female friends.
>
>In November, I lost my sister to a rare kind of breast cancer. She
>developed a rash on her breast, similar to that of young mothers who
>are nursing. Because her mammogram had been clear, the doctor treated
>her with antibiotics for infections.
>
>After 2 rounds and it continued to get worse, her doctor sent her for
>another mammogram, and this time it showed a mass. A biopsy found a
>fast growing malignancy. Chemo was started in order to shrink the
>growth; t hen mastectomy; then a full round of chemo; then radiation.
>After about 9 months of intense treatment, she was given a clean bill
>of health.
>
>One year of living each day to its fullest - then it returned to the
liver
>area. She took 4 treatments and decided that she wanted quality of life
not
>the after effects of chemo. We had 5 great months and she planned
>each detail of the final < /SPAN>days. After just a few days of
>needing morphine, she slipped away saying she had done what God had
>sent her
into
>the world to do and now it was her time to go.
>
> I still have tears as I write, but her message is shown below. And
>PLEASE
> be alert to any thing that is not normal and be persistent in getting
>help as soon as possible.
>
> RARE FORM OF BREAST CANCER - PAGET'S DISEASE
>
> This is a rare form of breast cancer and is on the outside of the
>breast, on the nipple and aureole. It appeared as a rash which later
>became a lesion with a crusty outer edge. I would not have ever
>suspected it to be breast cancer but it was.
>
> My nipple never seemed any different to me but the rash bothered me,
> so
>I
>went to t he doctor for that. Sometimes it itched and was sore, but
>other than that it didn't bother me. It was just ugly and a nuisance an
>d could not be cleared up with all the creams prescribed by my doctor
>and dermatologist for the dermatitis on my eyes just prior to this
>outbreak. They seemed a little concerned but did not warn me it could
>be cancerous. Now I suspect there are not many women out there who know
>a lesion or rash on the nipple or aureole can be breast cancer. Mine
>started out as a single
>red pimple on the aureole. One of the biggest problems with Paget
>disease
>of the nipple is that the symptoms appear to be harmless. It is
frequently
>thought to be a skin inflammation or infection, leading to unfortunate
>delays in detection and care. What are the symptoms? The symptoms
>include:
>
> (1) A persistent redness, oozing, and crusting of your nipple
> causing
it
>to itch and Burn. (As I stated, mine did not itch or burn much, and
>had
no
>oozing I was aware of, but it did have a crust along the outer edge
>on one side).
>
> (2) A sore on your nipple tha t will not heal. (Mine was on the
>aureole area with a whitish thick looking area in center of nipple).
>
> (3) Usually only one nipple is affected.
>
> How is it diagnosed?
>
> Your doctor will do a physical exam and should suggest having a
mamogram
>of both breasts, done immediately. Even though the redness, oozing and
>crusting closely resemble dermatitis (inflammation of the skin), your
>doctor should suspect cancer ifthe 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.
>
> Had my doctor caught mine right away instead of flaking it off as
>dermatitis, perhaps they could have saved my breast and it wouldn't
have
>gone to my lymph nodes.
>
> This message should be taken seriously and passed on to as many of
>your friends as possible; it could save someone's life. My breast
>cancer has spread and metastasized to my bones after receiving mega
>doses of chemotherapy, 28 treatments of radiation and taking tamaxofin.
>If this had been diagnosed as breast cancer in the beginning, perhaps
>it would not
have
>spread.
>
> TO ALL READERS:
>
> This is sad as women are not aware of Paget's disease. If by passing
>this around on the e-mail we can make others aware of it and its
>potential danger
> we are helping women everywhere. Please if you can, take a moment to
>forward this message to as many people as possible especially to your
>family
>and friends. It only takes a moment - yet the results could save a
life!
