A rare presentation of mammary Paget's disease involving the entire breast in the absence of any underlying ductal malignancy

Abstract

Paget's disease of the breast is an uncommon form of breast cancer presenting as an eczematous eruption over the nipple and/or areola. The diagnosis remains elusive with varied presentations, mimicking many benign skin diseases, the awareness of which is indispensable for diagnosis and minimizing morbidity. Most of the cases have an associated malignancy of the underlying breast tissue. There have been very few reports wherein the disease has occurred independent of any underlying malignancy. Since, the initial presentation is limited to skin; it is the dermatologist who plays a key role in making a diagnosis, thus, facilitating proper management. We report a rare presentation of mammary Paget's disease with a wide cutaneous spread probably attributed to a significantly delayed diagnosis without any associated underlying malignancy.