Ductal Approaches in Mammary Diagnostics

Overview

Objective:
Information about new possibilities of early diagnostics in mammary lesions.

Type of study:
Review.

Setting:
Gynecology-Obstetrics Clinic, 1st Medical Faculty and General Teaching Hospital, Prague.

Subject and methods:
Most malignant tumors of the breast originate from ductal epithelium. A direct examination of the ductal system, could significantly improve diagnostics of breast cancer as well as its preinvasive stages (DCIS) and to influence mortality. The concept of ductal approaches includes several techniques and ductal lavage and duscoscopy.

Conclusions:
Ductal approaches represent an attractive area for minimal load upon the patients. Specificity and sensitivity of these methods have some limits, which will be subject to change in relation to understanding of carcinogenesis and in a close relation to the knowledge of biomarkers, genomics and proteomics. Ductoscopy appears to be the ideal method for the future due to possibilities of direct visualization of epithelium in combination with biopsy and ductal lavage. It other advantages include minimal invasiveness, minimal risk and the origin of possible complications for the patient.

Key words:
ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), ductoscopy, early diagnostics, breast cancer