Ductal Lavage:
Health Story

Aired on Superstation WGN
Saturday, May 21 and August 20, 2005
Show 213

Almost 3 million women live with breast cancer. "Even though we've made progress, a lot of women are dying from breast cancer. We're not making major inroads in this disease. We need a more radical approach," says Dr. Susan Love, author of Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book. Ductal lavage is this cutting-edge approach. "It's like a pap smear for the breasts. All cancer starts in the lining of the duct cells," says Dr. Love. In ductal lavage, small catheters take cells from milk ducts. This simple procedure can be performed in a doctor's office. Right now mammograms and self breast exams are the best way to detect cancer early. But ductal lavage is the test of the future. "I know that by getting to where it starts, we can get rid of cancer," says Dr. Love.