Abstract
In 59 cases of breast cancer without palpable tumors in which nipple discharge was the main symptom (9.1% of all breast cancer cases), nipple discharge cytology, ductography, mammary ductoscopy, intraductal breast biopsy (IDBB) and cytology were evaluated for their cancer detection usefulness.
The cancer detection rate for discharge cytology at the first visit was 27.1% for the touch method and 28.6% for the collection method in which discharge was collected three times a day for three days. These figures were increased to 33.9% and 39.3% respectively by follow-up. Ductography revealed abnormality in 85.5% of cases, and intraductal lesions were observed by ductoscopy in 72.7%. IDBB under ductoscopic observation was performed in 18 cases, and carcinoma was diagnosed in 7 (38.9%). The cancer detection rate involving suspicious carcinoma was 66.7%. These results suggest a difficulty with pathology at the proximal portion of ductal carcinoma and the need for follow-up for early detection of intraductal carcinoma.
