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. >> ________________________________________________________________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html