Is polythelia a disease?
The third nipple, or the presence of multiple nipples, is also known as polymastia or polythelia. It’s not certain how many have this condition. According to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD), it is a rare condition.
What causes polythelia?
Polythelia typically occurs during development in the womb, but the exact cause is unknown. This condition can be inherited and run in families.
Can polythelia be removed?
Surgical procedures will vary depending on whether or not the third nipple is associated with underlying breast tissue. Isolated third nipples can be removed via a simple procedure, similar to the removal of a mole. For supernumerary nipples connected with breast tissue, a mastectomy (removal) can be done.
How common is Polymastia?
About 2% to 6% of females and 1% to 3% of males are affected by this condition, a third of whom have more than one area of supernumerary tissue growth. Occurrence rates vary widely on the basis of ethnicity and gender, ranging from as low as 0.6% in Caucasians to as high as 5% in Japanese females.
Is there a link between polythelia and kidney cancer?
Polythelia has also been associated with cancers of the testis and kidney.26,50–52 Familial as well as sporadic occurrences of polythelia with renal cancer, urogenital anomalies, and germ cell tumors have been reported.37,52–54 The authors suggest that this may represent a genetic or developmental link between renal adenocarcinoma and polythelia.
What kind of diseases are associated with polythelia?
Patients with polythelia may be subject to the same spectrum of pathologic diseases observed in normal breasts (e.g., neoplasms, fibroadenomas, papillary adenomas, cysts, or carcinomas).32–35 The supernumerary nipples may be associated with other congenital diseases such as vertebral anomalies,36–37 cardiac arrhythmias, or renal anomalies.32,38–43
When to look for polythelia in a baby?
Polythelia should be searched for in the routine physical examination of every newborn, and the presence of the condition should be reported to the parents.
Is there such a thing as an intraareolar polythelia?
Intraareolar polythelia represents a nipple-areola unit within the mammary ridge such that a dichotomy of the vestigial breast and nipple-areola complex exists. Only a few cases of bilateral intraareolar polythelia have been recorded.
