Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women, second to skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. The American Cancer Society predicts that there will be about 182,800 new cases of invasive breast cancer in the year 2000 in the United States. It is estimated there will be about 40,800 deaths from the disease.
Doctors agree that early detection of cancer is crucial to improve survival rates.
It's been difficult for doctors to detect breast cancer before a lump forms. Now a new technique called ductal lavage enables doctors to get to the source of breast cancer and detect it before a lump develops. The technique is being tested at ten centers to determine if it can offer a look at the early cellular changes inside the milk duct. Researchers specifically look at women who have normal mammograms to see if there are atypical or malignant cells in their ducts. The ultimate goal is to develop a minimally invasive test that could be used along with mammograms for improved breast cancer screening.