New Breast Pap Smear Detects Early Cellular Changes; May Prevent Onset Of Breast Cancer

Long before a woman feels an ominous lump in her breast, Victoria Seewaldt, M.D., can test her for subtle signs that breast cancer may be brewing in a few errant cells amidst thousands of healthy ones. Never before has such a possibility existed, and Seewaldt is brimming with excitement. "This is potentially the 'breast pap smear' that we never had before," said Seewaldt, a scientist and breast oncologist at the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center. "Just as we do with a cervical pap smear, we can now survey cells from the whole breast, examine them under the microscope and test for early changes that often precede breast cancer. Then we can give women a preventive agent to see if we can eradicate her abnormal cells and thus prevent cancer from developing."