This note was forwarded to me by a co-worker at CDC. She knows I am in
contact with a lot of women and asked that I share her sister's story.
Patti Carroll, RN, IBCLC
Lactation Support Program CDC & ATSDR
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention & Agency for Toxic Substances
and Disease Registry
Atlanta, Georgia
770-493-4908
>> Paget's disease
>>
>> In Nov. I lost my sister (Betty Botts of Troy, Al.)
>> 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 Dr. treated
>> her with antibiotics for infection. After 2 rounds
>> it continued to get worse her Dr. 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; then
>> 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 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 our message would
>> be --like the one below--to be alert to any thing
>> that is not normal--and be persistent in getting help
>> as soon as possible.
>>
>> Juanita Bush
>>
>> Ladies, take note:
>>
>> This is a rare form of breast cancer, and is on the
>> outside of the breast, on the nipple and aureola.
>> 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 went to my doctor for that. Sometimes it
>> itched and was sore, but other than that it didn't
>> really bother me. It was just ugly and a nuisance,
>> and 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 aureola can be breast cancer.
>>
>> What are the symptoms?
>>
>> Mine started out as a single red pimple on the
>> aureola. One of the biggest problems with Paget's
>> 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.
>>
>> 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 that will not heal. (Mine
>> was on the aureola area with a whitish thick looking
>> area in center of nipple).
>> Usually only one nipple is affected.
>>
>> 3. How is it diagnosed?
>>
>> Your doctor may suggest having a mammogram of both
>> breasts done immediately. Even though the redness,
>> oozing and crusting closely resemble dermatitis
>> (inflammation of the skin), 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, with radiation treatments. Had my doctor
>> caught mine right away, they could of 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 in the
>> beginning as breast cancer and treated right away,
>> perhaps it would not have spread...
>> I did try to spread the word through Rosie O'Donnell
>> show on breast cancer awareness, but it failed to
>> trigger importance enough to announce on her show
>> last year. This is sad as woman are not aware of
>> Paget's disease. If by passing this around on the
>> e-mail, we can make others aware of it, and it's
>> potential danger we are helping women everywhere.
>>
>> > > > >Please, if you can, take a moment to cut and
>> paste
>> > > > >this information into an e-mail and share it
>> with a
>> > > > >friend. It only takes a moment yet the results
>> could
>> > > > >save a life.
>>
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