Paget's disease of the breast epidemiology and demographics

Paget’s disease of the breast occurs in 0.5–5% of all breast cancer cases and is invariably associated with underlying malignancy either overt or occult. WHO revealed that there are 800,000 up to 1 million new cases of breast cancer each year. An underlying breast carcinoma is found in >90% of patients with Paget’s disease. The majority of these cases are invasive disease although 40 – 45% are associated with ductal carcinoma in situ. Paget’s disease of the breast is more prevalent in postmenopausal women, usually after the sixth decade of life, but it has also been reported in adolescent and elderly patients. Females are more commonly affected with Paget’s disease of the breast than males. Male breast cancer accounts for less than 1% of all breast cancer and Paget’s disease represents 1-3% of all breast malignancies.

• Paget’s disease of the breast occurs in 0.5–5% of all breast cancer cases and is invariably associated with underlying malignancy either overt or occult.
• WHO revealed that there are 800,000 up to 1 million new cases of breast cancer each year.^[1]
• An underlying breast carcinoma is found in >90% of patients with Paget’s disease.
• The majority of these cases are invasive disease although 40 – 45% are associated with ductal carcinoma in situ.^[2]

• Paget’s disease of the breast is more prevalent in postmenopausal women, usually after the sixth decade of life, but it has also been reported in adolescent and elderly patients.

• Females are more commonly affected with Paget’s disease of the breast than males.^[3]
• Male breast cancer accounts for less than 1% of all breast cancer and Paget’s disease represents 1-3% of all breast malignancies.^[4]