Paget’s disease is a chronic disorder or condition that increases the formation of bone at an exceedingly rapid rate in a particular, isolated area. It’s the second most common bone disease discovered in elderly men and women and is in no way considered to be a bone cancer.
It all begins with the osteoclasts. These remove and absorb old bone matter so it can be replaced with stronger and denser bone; however these cells become overly active and take away more bone than necessary, weakening it.
This then puts stress on the osteoblasts. These replace the lost bone with newly made bone matter that is strong and dense; however these cells overwork themselves to compensate for the excess bone lost, unlike with the condition of osteoporosis.
Bones that suffer from Paget’s disease are abnormally large, but weaker, brittle and deformed. This is because even though the osteoblasts try to replace the lost bone matter, they often form bone where it isn’t necessary as well and the osteoclasts continue to weaken bones necessary for movement or structure. The bone then becomes weak, less compact and vulnerable to injury, fractures and breaks.
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Only 1% of adults in the U.S. have Paget’s disease.
Paget’s disease was first discovered in 1877 by Sir James Paget, an English surgeon whom the disease was named after. Born in 1841, he’s best known by his achievements in his study of Paget’s disease (also known as ‘oetetis deformans,’). He, along with a man named Rudolph Virchow, were one of the founders of pathology in