IMI's breast cancer test identifies a cancer-associated sugar in a sample of nipple aspirate fluid derived from the breast ducts and painlessly expressed through the nipple using a pump.
"Most breast cancers originate in the breast ducts, so nipple aspirate fluid is a logical sample to target," said Dr. Anees Chagpar, an assistant professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Louisville. "The early results we have seen with this test are promising, and we are planning additional studies to confirm and expand our findings."
Widespread screening for early-stage breast cancer could minimize the effect of the disease. Breast cancer is nearly 100 percent treatable when diagnosed early, according to the American Cancer Society.
The test is cost effective relative to other current screening options and could one day be a frontline test, according to Michael Evelegh, PhD, who oversees product development and clinical affairs at IMI.
Current screening techniques available to women include mammography, clinical breast examination, and breast self-examination. But some breast changes that indicate early-stage cancer may not be evident on a mammogram or be picked up by touch.
The same sugar marker is being used by IMI in new tests for colorectal and lung cancers, which examine rectal mucus and sputum respectively. In each test, the sample is treated with a series of chemicals that cause a color-change reaction. The color change is measured by a spectrophotometer, producing a quantified test result.