Wall Street Journal Examines Breast Cancer Screening Device

The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday examined a breast cancer screening device called the "Halo system," which extracts a fluid from the nipple to test for "atypical" cells that are believed to be a precursor to cancer and has been nicknamed "the breast pap." The device -- developed and sold by NeoMatrix of Irvine, Calif. -- extracts the fluid called nipple aspirate using a warming technique and small suction cups. The test is noninvasive and lasts about five minutes, according to the Journal. The company estimates that atypical cells will be found in about 1% of women who undergo the procedure. Atypical breast cells are benign, but many scientists believe that they are a precursor to cancer, the Journal reports. The presence of atypical breast cells in nipple aspirate increases by as much as five times the risk of developing breast cancer, according to NeoMatrix. Women with atypical cells and a family history of breast cancer have 20 times the risk of developing breast cancer as an average woman, the company says. Although scientists have long known about the potential of nipple aspirate to assess breast cancer risk, the test is not widely used in part because it can be difficult to extract the fluid, according to the Journal. According to physicians, aspirate can only be extracted from 40% to 50% of women, and it is difficult to obtain a sufficient amount of fluid from women over age 55. Victor Vogel, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, said that the procedure is beneficial for women whose mothers or sisters had breast cancer and women who had their first child after the age of 30 or who have never had children. According to the Journal, the company estimates that the procedure, which is not covered by insurance, will cost $50 to $75. NeoMatrix suggests that women testing positive for abnormal cells be seen by a breast cancer specialist, receive more frequent mammograms and possibly undergo a breast ultrasound to detect tumors missed by conventional mammograms. Mayo Clinic scientist Lynn Hartmann says the company's estimates of increased risk of developing breast cancer are too high. According to a study of 9,087 women Hartmann published in the July 21, 2005, edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, a family history of breast cancer is not associated with an increased risk of cancer in women who have atypical cells (Johannes, Wall Street Journal, 8/8).


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