The utility of ductal lavage in breast cancer detection and risk assessment.
Ductal lavage (DL) permits noninvasive retrieval of epithelial cells from the breast. Clinical development of this technique has been fueled largely by its potential, as yet unproven, to improve detection of breast cancer and definition of individual risk for development of breast cancer. Early studies demonstrate the feasibility of performing this technique, provide data on cellular yield and findings, and demonstrate the ability to measure molecular markers in DL fluid. However, the sensitivity and specificity of DL for the detection of breast cancer remains unknown, as does the significance of atypia, particularly mild atypia, when found in DL fluid. Although DL appears safe and the device is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, DL is still best utilized in the setting of clinical trials designed to resolve issues of sensitivity, specificity, and localization.
Domchek
Susan M
SM
The Rena Rowan Breast Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA. susan.domchek@uphs.upenn.edu
D001940:Breast / Q000166:cytology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003581:Cytodiagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation