Sunday, February 27, 2011

How is paget’s disease of the breast usually treated?


The treatment of Paget’s disease of breast requires surgery. The type of surgery depends on the extent of cancer and size of the mass. Surgery options include a simple mastectomy –which entails remove of the entire breast but the lymph nodes under the armpit are not removed. If the lesion is small, the surgeon may perform a lumpectomy. This breast conserving surgery only involves the diseased portion of the breast along with the nipple and areola. 

Most patients under go radiation therapy afterwards to ensure that all cancerous cells are killed. Lumpectomy is not recommended if the female does not want to undergo radiation therapy afterwards. However, plastic surgeons can help reconstruct the nipple and make the breast look cosmetically acceptable. After surgery, some women may also undergo adjuvant therapy with anti cancer drugs or hormonal therapy. The type of treatment will depend on certain tests  and presence of certain receptors on the breast cancer cells.

No comments:

Post a Comment