Using biomarkers to improve the diagnostic value of ductal fluid for early breast cancer detection

The optimal method for early detection of breast cancer in premenopausal women is not known. To date, mammographic screening and physical exam are the best available approaches for early detection in the general population. However, these methods may not be sufficient in young women. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new approaches that can augment mammographic screening and physical exam, particularly for women at high risk for developing breast cancer, such as carriers of BRCA1/2 mutations, who are known to face markedly elevated lifetime risks for cancer. Therefore, women at high risk constitute the population that will benefit most from new breast screening technologies and early detection strategies.