Paget’s Disease of the Breast

Your healthcare provider may attempt to treat your condition as eczema at first. When that fails, or when they suspect Paget’s disease of the breast, they’ll need to take a sample of the nipple tissue to examine under a microscope. Paget’s cells are easily recognizable this way. They’ll likely take a punch biopsy, which means using a circular cutting tool like a hole punch to remove a small, disk-shaped piece.

After identifying Paget’s disease of the breast, your healthcare provider will need to find out if you have underlying ductal carcinoma, and if so, how advanced it is. They’ll start by examining your breast tissue with imaging tests, such as a mammogram or breast ultrasound. If they find an area suspicious for underlying cancer, they will recommend a needle biopsy to take a sample of the breast tissue.