Claims
- 1. A method for differentiating a cancer risk status of milk ducts in a breast comprising:
aspirating the nipple, and locating at least one ductal orifice that yields fluid upon aspiration; wherein a duct that yields fluid upon aspiration is at higher risk for cancer.
- 2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising accessing the ductal orifice that yields fluid.
- 3. A method as in claim 2, further comprising retrieving ductal contents from the accessed duct.
- 4. A method as in claim 1, wherein more than one duct yields fluid upon aspiration of the nipple.
- 5. A method as in claim 4, wherein each duct that yields fluid upon aspiration is accessed.
- 6. A method as in claim 5, further comprising retrieving ductal contents from an accessed duct.
- 7. A method as in claim 1, further comprising recording the location of the ductal orifice once identified by yield of fluid at the orifice.
- 8. A method as in claim 7, wherein recording comprises one or more of transcribing the relative location of the ductal orifice on a paper grid, taking a photograph, recording in real time on a digital screen the fluid yielding event and/or location of the ductal orifice that yielded fluid, and making a negative imprint on the nipple surface to identify the regions of the nipple that did not yield fluid.
- 9. A method as in claim 1, further comprising marking the ductal orifice upon yield of fluid at the orifice.
- 10. A method as in claim 9, wherein marking comprises making an identifiable mark with a pen or other labeling device to identify the spot comprising the ductal orifice at a later time.
- 11. A method as in claim 9, wherein marking comprises placing an element into the duct selected from the group consisting of a plug, tube, wire, thread, and suture.
- 12. A method as in claim 10, wherein the mark resides on the nipple surface in a range of time from a few hours to a few years.
- 13. A method as in claim 1, further comprising contacting a ductal orifice that yields fluid with a dilator in order to accomplish one or more of discerning the precise location of the orifice, discerning the orientation of the orifice, or enlarging the proximal area of the duct so as to facilitate subsequent cannulation of the duct.
- 14. A method for differentiating a cancer risk status of milk ducts in a breast comprising:
aspirating the nipple, and locating at least one ductal orifice that yields fluid upon aspiration; wherein a duct that yields fluid upon aspiration is at higher risk for cancer; and collecting a bead of fluid at the nipple surface generated from aspiration and emerging from the fluid yielding duct and not mixed with fluid generated from any other duct on the nipple surface.
- 15. A method as in claim 14, further comprising analyzing the collected fluid of the duct yielding fluid separately from the fluid of any other duct yielding fluid.
- 16. A method as in claim 14, further comprising recording the location of the ductal orifice on the nipple surface once identified by yield of fluid.
- 17. A method as in claim 16, wherein recording comprises one or more of transcribing the relative location of the ductal orifice on a paper grid, taking a photograph, recording in real time on a digital screen the fluid yielding event and/or location of the ductal orifice that yielded fluid, and making a negative imprint on the nipple surface to identify the regions of the nipple that did not yield fluid.
- 18. A method as in claim 14, further comprising marking the ductal orifice upon yield of fluid at the orifice.
- 19. A method as in claim 18, wherein marking comprises making an identifiable mark with a pen or other labeling device to identify the spot comprising the ductal orifice at a later time.
- 20. A method as in claim 18, wherein marking comprises placing an element into the duct selected from the group consisting of a plug, tube, wire, thread, and suture.
- 21. A method as in claim 19, wherein the mark resides on the nipple surface in a range of time from a few hours to a few years.
- 22. A method as in claim 14, further comprising contacting a ductal orifice that yields fluid with a dilator in order to accomplish one or more of discerning the precise location of the orifice, discerning the orientation of the orifice, or enlarging the proximal area of the duct so as to facilitate subsequent cannulation of the duct.
- 23. A kit for differentiating a cancer risk status of milk ducts in a breast comprising a nipple aspiration device, a system to mark and/or record the location of a ductal orifice that yields fluid upon aspiration, and instructions for use of the kit to differentiate a cancer risk status of milk ducts in a breast by locating at least one ductal orifice that yields fluid upon aspiration.
- 24. A kit as in claim 23, further comprising a ductal access tool and further instructions to access the duct that yields fluid upon nipple aspiration.
- 25. A kit as in claim 23, wherein the system to mark and/or record the location of the ductal orifice that yields fluid upon aspiration comprises one or more of a pencil and graph paper, a camera, a marking tool, a digital recording and imaging device, a system to make a negative imprint on the nipple surface, and an element to place in the orifice to mark it.
- 26. A kit as in claim 24, further comprising a dilator.
- 27. A kit for differentiating a cancer risk status of milk ducts in a breast comprising a nipple aspiration device, a ductal access tool to access a duct through a ductal orifice that yields fluid upon nipple aspiration, and instructions for use of the kit to differentiate a cancer risk status of milk ducts in a breast by locating at least one ductal orifice that yields fluid upon nipple aspiration and access the duct through its orifice.
- 28. A kit as in claim 27, further comprising a dilator.
- 29. A kit for differentiating a cancer risk status of milk ducts in a breast comprising a nipple aspiration device, a tool to retrieve an emerging bead of fluid at a ductal orifice, and instructions for use of the kit to differentiate a cancer risk status of milk ducts in a breast by locating at least one ductal orifice that yields fluid upon nipple aspiration and instructions for collecting an emerging bead of fluid at the ductal orifice without mixing the collected fluid with any other fluid yielded from any other duct.
- 30. A kit as in claim 28, further comprising a dilator.
- 31. A method of maximizing the likelihood of ductal fluid migrating to the nipple surface upon nipple aspiration comprising:
stimulating the breast and/or nipple surface prior to or during nipple aspiration.
- 32. A method as in claim 31, wherein stimulating comprises placing a wearable device in contact with the nipple surface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Benefit of the May 10, 2000 filing date of Provisional Application Serial No. 60/203,416and benefit of the May 9, 2001 filing date of a Provisional Application (Serial No. not yet assigned), both provisionals by the same inventors and both entitled “Method For Differentiating Breast Ducts For Cancer Risk Status” are hereby claimed.
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60289536 |
May 2001 |
US |
|
60203416 |
May 2000 |
US |