Patent ID: 6866994

Claim:
A method for detecting a breast cancer in a patient, comprising the steps of: providing a patient having at least one breast duct with an external opening thereon; directing a stream of carrier fluid under pressure into the opening to introduce a volume of carrier fluid into the duct; removing carrier fluid from the duct through the external opening by applying compression, suction, and heat to the breast, wherein the compression, suction, and heat is applied to the breast by an intraductal breast fluid aspiration device, the device comprising: a tissue contacting surface defining a first concavity for receiving a breast and a second concavity for receiving a nipple; a driver, for imparting a compressive force on at least a portion of the tissue contacting surface defining the first concavity; a vacuum conduit in communication with the second concavity; a heat source thermally coupled to the tissue contacting surface; and a sample collector in communication with the second concavity, wherein the sample collector is removably carried by the aspiration device, and wherein the sample collector maintains a low pressure contact with a distal surface of the nipple throughout a range of axial positions along the longitudinal axis of the second concavity; collecting the removed carrier fluid on the sample collector; and screening the removed carrier fluid for at least one breast cancer marker, wherein a presence of the breast cancer marker indicates a presence of cancerous cells in the breast.