Change in nipple color~a sign & symptom of breast cancer?

shannonW

Hi!

I was diagnosed with right breast  DCIS on 2/8/11 and had BMX with tissue expanders for prep for implants on 2/25/11. The DCIS was seen on my first "now u r 40" routine mammogram. I had sign s or symptoms~ no discharge, pain, palpable lumps, etc. I'm small breasted(size B- on a good day!). The ONLY change I noticed over the last year to year and half was my right nipple tip color had changed from brown to a pink color.

Has any other black woman or woman of any other color had this experience? I asked my ob/gyn about this nipple color change(prior to dx) and she said it was nothing. From all the books I've read nipple color change is not a sign and symptom of breast cancer.

So if any other women of color has had this experience please let me know.

shannonW

Lcharmie

Hi shannon W,

Just reading through the posts and putting my 2-bits in here and there.

I am glad you checked with a Dr. and it sounds like you followed your gut.

I do not think we can under guess any thing we see, when it comes to our breast, or our bodies in general.

I did not have a nipple problem, I had , had a mammo in May of that year and I was doing a monthly exam (that I feel all women should do all the time any way) and I felt the lump that was the size of a pea, did not recall it being there, that was Oct. and the rest is history..

There are so many different things with each individual, that it is hard to sometimes find(2 alikes).

Best of luck to you on this journey.

Linda C. 

Snobird

I recently(12/2010) had surgery for BC which was directly related to a change in color to the tip of my nipple. My Dr said it was nothing but I insisted on a biopsy of the nipple even though my mammo an US was clear. Thank God I had the biopsy because I ended up with Paget's Disease of the nipple. This was a recurrence for me as I had DCIS and IDC diagnosed in 2006. Paget' disease is very rare and it is usually diagnosed late due to the fact that most Doc treat it as a skin disorder and don't biopsy until it's really bad and by then you usually have mets. Best thing in my opinion and from my experience is to get it biopsied. Hoping it's a B9 issue for you but I would get it checked.

Snobird

I'm not black but I still had skin changes that were barely noticeable.

shannonW

Well, my Paget's disease was diagnosed for sure when I had my final pathology report from surgery after my BMX on 2/25/11. The ONLY symptom I had was the tip of my nipple turned pink. My ob/gyn said it was nothing(was seeing her for another female issue and I questioned that nipple change at that visit), but a month later is when I had my scheduled mammo and they found the DCIS extensively thruout that breast. From all I read the symptom of nipple tip change isn't a HUGE sign, but I wish my ob/gyn would've initially responded, "That is a change. Why don't we get you a mammogram now." OR, that I wish the medical community would list this subtle change in nipple color as a true symptom of Paget's. I'm sure we aren't the only two in the world that didn't have the other symptoms of exczema type skin issues, discharge, etc. Thanks for resonding to my question.

mommyx3

Ladies, i suffered from eczema for many years, so when what appeared as a little dry skin on my nipple I applied my eczema med. When that did not work I went to my derm who gave me more meds and after three visits diagnosed as a staph infection.  When antibiotics cleared it up but it came back and I felt a lump I went to my PC physician who sent me for a mammogram and ultrasound. Not only was there the lump I felt, but 2 more I couldn't feel.  Within a week i was dx with Stage 4 BC with mets to liver, bones and brain.  The "staph infection" was indeed Paget's and my dr said Paget's is usually the result of underlying cancer. I am black and just turned 36 yrs old 2 weeks before dx.

shannonW

Sorry to hear the above Mommyx3. I'm glad ur PC MD sent you for a mammo. I wonder how many derms treat this condition before leaning(IF EVER)towards mammo for underlying breast issue? Continue to perservere and be strong..."Fight like a girl and a woman" please. That's the thing, Paget's disease is rare but OFTEN signifies an underlying breast issue. I guess I just want all to tell all their friends(and I WILL be telling my ob/gyn at my next visit)...If there's any change in nipple(especially just one) it should be addressed as possible breast cancer first. Mine wasn't eczema level BUT when I mentioned it my ob/gyn dismissed it as nothing and then I reasoned it was probably from just breastfeeding two kids(altho the change in color was just in the last year or two and I've not b-feed for 8 years). Thankfully I had a scheduled routine mammo a month later and that's when the DCIS was found.

Lcharmie

Oh my, I am sorry to hear this has happened to any of you.

We really have to stand our ground about our bodies.

When I had Breast Cancer of the skin, which was up in my chest, it looked like little red (bug bites) it itched a lil, and I thought it looked worse when I came back from walks, my  Dr. decided to biopsy one and sure enough there it was.  I had an area that looked like a bruise under my right arm (at the side near the breast area) we watched it( not long, as I get agitated) Dr biopsied it, it was Breast Cancer of the skin.  So you see--We Must Not Take Nothing For Granted--We Can't!

Take care til later.

Linda C.!

Snobird

Well Paget's must really be rare as there haven't been many posts. What really bothers me is that there are many women out there who are being misdiagnosed because the symptomsb aren't taken as seriously as a lump.