Treatment FAQ

what is the treatment for paget disease

by Roger Greenholt Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Osteoporosis drugs (bisphosphonates) are the most common treatment for Paget's disease of bone. Bisphosphonates are typically given by injection into a vein, but they can also be taken by mouth. When taken orally, bisphosphonates are generally well tolerated but can irritate the stomach.Feb 3, 2021

How to get rid of Paget's disease?

Surgery is the main treatment for Paget's disease of the breast. Removal of the breast (mastectomy) may be recommended if the cancer is seen in a wide area away from the nipple or appears to be deep into the breast tissue.

How serious is Paget disease?

The seriousness depends on the prognosis of Paget’s disease of the breast. The prognosis associated with Paget’s disease depends on the underlying status of one’s breast problem or breast cancer. In most of the cases, the prognosis is better for women, who do not have any palpable lump.

What is the prognosis of Paget disease?

The prognosis for Paget’s depends on the affected breast and the spread of cancer around the nipple and the areola. 1,2 Certain lifestyle changes may reduce the risk of developing certain types of breast cancer. 3

What is Paget disease and what are the symptoms?

Paget's disease, also called Paget's disease of bone, is a chronic bone disorder due to irregular breakdown and formation of bone tissue. Paget's disease symptoms include bone pain, headaches and hearing loss, pressure on nerves, increased head size, hip pain, and damage to cartilage of joints.

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Is Paget disease curable?

There's currently no cure for Paget's disease of bone, but treatment can help relieve the symptoms. If you do not have any symptoms, your doctor may suggest keeping an eye on your condition and delaying treatment until any problems occur.

What is the first-line treatment for Paget disease?

Bisphosphonates are first-line therapy for Paget's disease, and the advent of the new bisphosphonates permits a dramatic improvement in treatment. The optimal treatment regimen should obtain normalisation or quasi-normalisation of markers of bone remodelling.

Is Paget's disease life threatening?

In very rare cases, Paget's can turn into a life-threatening cancerous bone disease. Severe Paget's disease may cause damage to the heart.

Are there any new treatments for Paget's disease?

There is widespread agreement that a single intravenous injection (5 mg) of zoledronate (also known as zoledronic acid) is the first-line therapy for Paget's disease 18, 19.

What is the most common presenting symptom of Paget disease?

When symptoms occur, the most common complaint is bone pain. Because this disease causes your body to generate new bone faster than normal, the rapid remodeling produces bone that's less organized and weaker than normal bone, which can lead to bone pain, deformities and fractures.

What is the life expectancy of someone with Paget's disease?

If treatment occurs before major changes in bone occur, the majority of patients with Paget's disease are able to live a normal, active life. When complications do develop, surgical treatment is usually effective in relieving pain and improving function.

What are the stages of Paget disease?

Three phases of Paget disease have been described: lytic, mixed lytic and blastic, and sclerotic. In an individual patient, different skeletal lesions may progress at different rates. Thus, at any one time, multiple stages of the disease may be demonstrated in different skeletal regions.

What specialist manages Paget's disease?

Paget's disease can affect many parts of the body. You may need to see more than one type of doctor, including: Endocrinologists, who treat hormonal and metabolic disorders. Rheumatologists, who treat joint and muscle disorders.

What is one of the most serious complications of Paget disease?

If Paget's disease of bone affects the skull, there's a significant risk that it could lead to permanent hearing loss and possibly total deafness. This can occur as a result of damage to the bones or nerves that connect the ears to the brain.

Does vitamin D deficiency cause Paget's disease?

Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is higher in patients with Paget's disease of bone compared with age-matched controls. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metabol. 2013 Oct;57(7):509-12. doi: 10.1590/s0004-27302013000700002.

Where does Paget's disease start?

Symptoms of Paget's disease of the nipple Paget's disease of the nipple always starts in the nipple and may extend to the areola. It appears as a red, scaly rash on the skin of the nipple and areola. The affected skin is often sore and inflamed, and it can be itchy or cause a burning sensation.

What blood tests show Paget's disease?

The most important one for diagnosing Paget's disease is a blood test for alkaline phosphatase, an enzyme made by bone. If the level of this enzyme is high, your doctor will want to do other tests. You might also need other tests, such as an MRI or a CT scan.

What type of surgery is needed for Paget's disease?

Surgical options include: Removing the entire breast (mastectomy).

How to diagnose Paget's disease?

Tests and procedures used to diagnose Paget's disease of the breast include: Breast exam. Your doctor will check both of your breasts and the lymph nodes in your armpit, feeling for any lumps or other abnormalities. Mammogram.

What is the procedure to remove breast tissue?

A mastectomy is an operation to remove all of your breast tissue. Most mastectomy procedures remove all of the breast tissue — the lobules, ducts, fatty tissue and some skin, including the nipple and areola (total or simple mastectomy). Removing the breast cancer (lumpectomy ).

What are some ways to help people with Paget's disease?

Supportive therapies. Some people with Paget's disease benefit from supportive therapies such as physiotherapy or occupational therapy. These therapies involve exercises and techniques that can help reduce pain, improve movement and make everyday tasks easier.

What is the best treatment for Paget's disease of bone?

Painkillers. Over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen can help relieve pain caused by Paget's disease of bone. Make sure you read the packet or leaflet before taking painkillers, to check whether they're suitable for you and to find out how much to take.

Is there a cure for Paget's disease of bone?

There's currently no cure for Paget's disease of bone, but treatment can help relieve the symptoms. If you do not have any symptoms, your doctor may suggest keeping an eye on your condition and delaying treatment until any problems occur.

Does Zoledronate cause bone loss?

The main side effects of zoledronate and pamidronate are flu-like symptoms that last a day or 2. If you're unable to have bisphosphonates, you may need daily injections of another medicine that prevents bone loss called calcitonin.

What is the best medicine for Paget's disease?

Medicine can help reduce the breakdown of bone tissue, control symptoms such as bone pain, and prevent other problems such as arthritis, fractures, or nerve damage. Bisphosphonates are usually the first medicines prescribed for Paget's disease. They often make the disease inactive, sometimes for years or decades.

Do you need to see a doctor for Paget's disease?

Many people don't need treatment for Paget's disease. But even if you don't need treatment, you will still need to see your doctor on a regular basis from now on. This will let your doctor watch for other problems you might get from the disease, such as arthritis, fractures, or nerve problems.

What kind of doctor treats Paget's disease?

There are two types of doctors who are the most experienced in treating patients with Paget’s disease: Endocrinologists, who treat metabolic conditions. Rheumatologists, who treat arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions.

Why are men more likely to get Paget's disease than women?

Men are more likely than women to have the disease. The cause of Paget’s disease is unknown. Doctors think it is a combination of environmental factors, such as an infection and genetic factors. Most people with Paget’s have such mild symptoms that they are unaware they have the disease.

Does Paget's disease affect the spine?

If the disease is in the pelvis, it's not likely to affect the spine or skull. Paget’s generally "burns out" in time, causing no additional pain or damage. Any damage the disease has already caused, however, is irreversible. About one million people in the United States have Paget's disease.

Can Paget's disease cause heart problems?

Severe Paget’s disease may cause damage to the heart. To diagnose Paget’s disease, the doctor will perform a physical examination, ask about medical health history and order blood tests and bone X-rays. The goal of treatment is to relieve pain and slow down the progression of the disease.

Can Paget's disease cause a curved spine?

Bones weakened by Paget’s may break more easily. The disease may cause fractures, bowed legs, a curved spine or pinched nerves in the spine. Over time, enlarged or misshapen bones can stress nearby joints leading to osteoarthritis in those joints.

What is Paget disease?

Most people with Paget disease of the breast also have one or more tumors inside the same breast. These breast tumors are either ductal carcinoma in situ or invasive breast cancer ( 1 – 3 ). Paget disease of the breast is named after the 19th century British doctor Sir James Paget, who, in 1874, noted a relationship between changes in ...

What are the symptoms of Paget disease?

These symptoms may include the following: Itching, tingling, or redness in the nipple and/or areola. Flaking, crusty, or thickened skin on or around the nipple. A flattened nipple.

Why is it so difficult to perform a randomized controlled trial for Paget disease?

Randomized controlled clinical trials, which are considered the “gold standard” in cancer research, are difficult to perform for Paget disease of the breast because very few people have this disease ( 4, 10 ).

How old is the average person with paget disease?

Approximately 1 to 4 percent of all cases of breast cancer also involve Paget disease of the breast. The average age at diagnosis is 57 years, but the disease has been found in adolescents and in people in their late 80s ( 2, 3 ).

Where are Paget cells found?

These cells are found in the epidermis (surface layer) of the skin of the nipple and the areola. Paget cells often have a large, round appearance under a microscope; they may be found as single cells or as small groups of cells within the epidermis.

Can you have Paget disease without a tumor?

This would explain why a few people develop Paget disease of the breast without having a tumor inside the same breast. Moreover, it may be possible for Paget disease of the breast and tumors inside the same breast to develop independently ( 1 ).

Can Paget disease be found in breast?

Doctors do not fully understand what causes Paget disease of the breast. The most widely accepted theory is that cancer cells from a tumor inside the breast travel through the milk ducts to the nipple and areola. This would explain why Paget disease of the breast and tumors inside the same breast are almost always found together ( 1, 3 ).

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