Therapy | What is Paget’s disease?

Therapy

Prognosis and therapy of Paget’s disease depend entirely on the stage and type of breast cancer. In the case of Paget’s disease, treating only the skin alteration is by no means sufficient and is not effective, since the cancer continues to grow in the breast tissue underneath.

Prognosis/opportunity for healing

Paget’s disease of the breast, also called Paget’s carcinoma, is a rare form of cancer that can also affect other parts of the body and occurs almost exclusively in women. It is often not properly diagnosed at first because its clinical appearance can easily be confused with eczema of the nipple. However, early detection is very important for the prognosis of Paget’s disease.

In early stages, surgery followed by radiation of the tissue is usually sufficient to achieve healing. In addition, the lymph nodes in the armpit must be examined and, if necessary, removed if they are affected. However, there are factors that can significantly worsen the prognosis of Paget’s disease.

The most important prognostic factor is the lymph node status. This refers to the infestation of the lymph nodes by tumor cells. The greater the lymph node infestation, the poorer the chances of recovery for the patient. Other factors, such as tumor grading and receptor status, as well as the general condition of the patient and any previous diseases, also play an important role in the prognosis of the individual case.