Nipple Discharge Cytology in Mass Screening for Breast Cancer

It is important to detect early breast cancer by mass screening. The initial mass screening procedure consists of inspection, palpation or cytologic examination of nipple discharge. Three hundred eighty-five patients cases with nipple discharge were underwent nipple discharge cytology at our hospital from 1989 to 1995. Histological examination was done in 84 cases. Breast cancer were identified in 8 of 58 cases in Class I and II (13.8%), 4 of 13 cases (30.8%) in Class III, and 11 of 11 cases (100%) in Class V. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy rates of nipple discharge cytology were 66.7%, 83.1% and 78.3%, and those for occult blood in nipple discharge were 100%, 44.8% and 68.3%, respectively. Five of 24 cases of breast cancer were TO cases. According to nipple discharge, 19 cases were detected by palpation, mammography and echography. For the detection of TO cancer, nipple discharge cytology is important.