MAMMARY PAGETS-DISEASE CONFINED TO THE AREOLA AND ASSOCIATED WITH MULTIFOCAL TOKER CELL HYPERPLASIA

A hitherto unreported variant of mammary Paget's disease (MPD) limited to the areola, leaving the nipple unaffected, has been analyzed by serial sectioning of the whole areola and nipple. This otherwise characteristic MPD proved to be confined to the epidermis. There was no underlying carcinoma. This MPD was associated with a multifocal presence of monomorphic but otherwise similar cells in small collections surrounding the ostia of areolar mammary glands in the clinically unaffected area, This condition was interpreted as hyperplasia of mammary gland-related cells also found in normal nipples (so-called Toker cells). The observations hint at a possible derivation of some cases of mammary and extramammary Paget's disease from such Toker cells.