Nipple Fluid as a Biomarker for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Nipple Fluid as a Biomarker for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer
IRAS ID
259597
Contact name
Daniel Leff
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
Breast cancer is the commonest cancer affecting women with 1 in 8 women in the UK diagnosed each year. With this in mind, we are always looking for ways to detect breast cancer earlier; both to try and improve chances of survival and to diagnose it when its smaller, so women can undergo a lumpectomy rather than a mastectomy, where possible.
Nipple discharge is a symptom experienced by about 5% of women who come to the breast clinic and it can be a sign of both benign or malignant disease. However, nipple aspirate fluid is the clear liquid produced by the lining of nipple ducts in women who are not breast feeding or producing discharge as a symptom. It contains a number of different components such as proteins, lipids, hormones and bacteria to name but a few.
Our group aims to recruit women with proven breast cancer and healthy individuals, to provide a sample of nipple fluid (both nipple discharge and asymptomatic women) for testing using a technology called liquid chromatography mass spectrometry – which will identify all the components above.
We will also try and see which bugs are grown in the fluid and whether they are linked to breast cancer. From the study, we expect find a component of nipple fluid – a biomarker – which is more commonly seen in those with breast cancer than the healthy women, which we can test in the future to see whether women have early signs of breast cancer or warrant further testing.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/YH/0224
Date of REC Opinion
29 Jul 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion