A direct comparative study of methylation-specific PCR in ductal lavage fluid, breast cancer tissue, normal breast parenchyma and plasma in women with early breast cancer

Introduction Breast duct lavage for analysis by methylation-specific PCR is a novel but established method for detecting the presence of cancer and may contribute additional information about prognosis and response to treatment. The aim of this consecutive series of breast cancer patients was a case-control study to evaluate qualitative methylation of five published tumour suppressor genes1 in breast cancer tissue, adjacent normal breast parenchyma, duct lavage fluid and plasma.