Jacksonville, Fla. – Developing breast cancer is a fear for millions of American women, especially those with a family history of the disease. Statistics show one in eight women will develop breast cancer during her lifetime. Since early detection is key to surviving the disease, researchers are constantly looking for new ways to identify women with the greatest risk.
One procedure that is gaining attention is ductal lavage. The FDA-approved technique is a minimally invasive method of searching for abnormal cells inside the milk ducts, where most breast cancer begins. Shands Jacksonville is the first hospital in north Florida to offer the procedure.
“Ductal lavage does not diagnose breast cancer, but it can be a helpful tool for women at high risk to monitor changes in their breasts. By using this microscopic information found within the cells, we can weigh the pros and cons of risk-reduction drug therapy such as tamoxifen and closer monitoring,” explains Shahla Masood, M.D., a University of Florida physician and director of the Breast Health Center at Shands Jacksonville.
Here’s how ductal lavage works: in the 30-minute office procedure, a physician applies anesthetic cream to numb the nipple. A small suction cup is used to draw ductal fluid to the nipple’s surface. A tiny plastic tube is inserted into the duct’s natural opening on the nipple. After anesthetic is inserted to numb the inside, the duct is rinsed and cells are collected through the catheter. The cells are sent to a laboratory to be analyzed.
The procedure is not intended to replace standard diagnostic tools such as mammograms or self-exams but rather should be used in conjunction. It may also be repeated in order to track changes within a woman’s cells over time.
For more information about ductal lavage, call the Breast Health Center at Shands Jacksonville at (904) 244-RISK.