Ductal lavage is a new way to obtain samples of cells from the milk ducts of the breast.
Ductal lavage brings the search for breast cancer down to the microscopic level. The procedure allows us to search for pre-cancerous and cancerous cells before they form a tumor. This procedure allows us to find abnormal cells before they are seen on mammogram and before they are felt on physical exam. The cells that are collected by ductal lavage are analyzed by a cytopathologist. The cytopathologist determines whether they are normal, pre-cancerous, or cancerous.