Pregnancy Associated Breast Cancer: Awareness is the Key to Diagnosis -A Case Report.

Pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) is defined as breast cancer that occurs during pregnancy or within one year of delivery. PABCs are typically found at advanced stage and are reported to have higher recurrence and mortality rates as compared to non PABC. Although it is said to be rare its incidence is increasing. Very little data is available on PABC among Indian women. Delay in diagnosis is one of the major causes of aggressive presentation of PABC. This is due to the fact that most of the lesions presenting during this period are benign and lactational changes hamper the detection of mass clinically as well as by various investigative methods. Paget's disease of breast, usually reported in elderly woman, when occurs in lactating breast may mimic benign eczematous lesion. Increased awareness among patients as well as clinicians is required to detect this highly aggressive form of breast cancer at an early and treatable stage. Treatment is by multidisciplinary approach and depends upon the gestational stage. Here we report a case of PABC in a lactating woman presenting with Paget's disease because such case may be under diagnosed as breast feeding related lesion leading to delayed diagnosis.