Diseases and Conditions
Paget's disease of the breast
Overview
Symptoms
Causes
Risk factors
Prevention
Diagnosis
Treatment
Coping and support
Preparing for an appointment
Causes
Doctors don't know what causes Paget's disease of the breast. The most widely accepted theory is that the disease results from an underlying ductal breast cancer. The cancer cells from the original tumor then travel through milk ducts to the nipple and its surrounding skin. Another theory is that the disease can develop independently in the nipple.
