New form of Breast Cancer

lorrayne

Cathlete
I wanted to forward this message on to all of you. This is NOT a hoax (see http://www.snopes.com/toxins/paget.htm
there's a link to a Oncology site about it.)

Lorrayne

----- Original Message -----

This is sad but something we should all be aware of... Read on.
Relish the things which are the essence of life and they will make your heart sing.
- Norman Vincent Peale


Please forward to all of the women in your lives . ..... Mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, friends, etc.

In November, a rare kind of breast cancer was found.
The sister of a friend 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; 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. Her message is shown below.

PLEASE Be alert to anything that is not normal, and be persistent in getting help as soon as possible.

Paget's Disease
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 the 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, 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.

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.


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 that will not heal. (Mine was on the aureola 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 redness, oozing and crusting closely resemble dermatitis (inflammation of the skin), your doctor should suspect cancer if the sore is

only on one breast. Your doctor should order a biopsy of your sore to confirm what is going on.

This message should be taken seriously and passed on to as many of your relatives and 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 tamoxifin. 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.

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....
 
Thank you for your message. I am a Paget's disease breast cancer survivor. It is not a new type of breast cancer but has been around for years. It is named after the man, Dr. Paget, who discovered a link between a scab on the nipple area and ductual carcinoma. My FORMER gyn wrote my scab off as nothing because of my age (36 when diagnosed). ANY CHANGE AT ALL IN YOUR BREAST SHOULD BE TREATED FOR NO LONGER THAN ONE MONTH, again ANY CHANGE AT ALL. My gyn did not do this. He just sent me home, with no follow-up appointment. It is by the grace of God that I am here today. Paget's disease is a very aggressive form of cancer. To the best of my understanding it occurs when the cancer from the milk glands begins to erode away the nipple. I had no palpable lump yet my whole breast was cancerous. Please, get your yearly mammograms, beginning with a baseline mammo. at the age of 35. Do your monthly exams every month. I volunteer with the American Cancer Society and can mail you a monthly exam card if you send me your address. Remember, breast cancer can occur at any age, Unfortunately, I have met too many women in their 20's dying of breast cancer. It is not a post-menopause disease. I had no family history at all so don't neglect your health because it doesn't run in your family. Please ladies, GET YOUR MAMMOGRAMS!!!!!!!!!!

And if you are not comfortable with what your doctor tells you, get a second, third, fourth, or fifth opinion. Don't stop until YOU have a peace about what you are being told. You are your own best advocate!

Blessings,

Denise
 
Denise, thank goodness you got treatment. Some Drs are clueless. My sister in law had stage 4 breastcancer at age 36. Her Dr. wrote off her lump as "oh you are too young for cancer". She went for a second opinion and it saved her life. There are some great Drs out there but there are some drs who just suck and it can cost people thier lives. I am a big believer in if what your Dr. tells you does not seem right - see a different Dr.

Thanks for the alert on this. I never knew crusting could be a signal of something wrong. As someone who has nursed in the past, I just associate crusting with nursing but now I'll be more careful incase I ever notice it.

Marci
 
Oh Marci,
I am so glad your sister-in-law got a second opinion. You are right, some Drs. are great and some just stink. A second opinion is just sooooo important if you're not comfortable with the first. I hope your sister in law continues to do well with her recovery. Take care.

Denise
 

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top