[Audrey]

Hi Snufi,
I would recommend that your sister and daughter get checked out by a breast surgeon as soon as possible just to make sure it is nothing serious. My breast cancer started out as a scaly nipple rash with occasional bleeding. Everyone told me it was nothing serious and my ob/gyn gave me this cream to put on it to stop the itching...after a few months it still hadn't cleared up and I was sent to a breast surgeon for a nipple biopsy. The biopsy showed cell changes (hyperplasia? I think it was called). Anyway, to make a long story short, what started out as a nipple rash/discharge in January 2001 was ultimately diagnosed (after mastectomy--the pathologist's report) as Paget's disease, along with ductal carcinoma in situ, along with invasive cancer. Even though my mammogram and ultrasound were inconclusive, I actually had a large tumor growing behind the nipple. I was completely shocked that this turned out to be so serious after months of hearing "not to worry"-- Now I also recommend getting a biopsy right away to be sure! (On a happier note, after surgery, radiation, chemo and Herceptin for a year, I am doing great seven years later)-- Anything unusual on the breast, get it checked out and maybe a second opinion, too.