Breast cancer is most treatable in its earliest stages. Unfortunately, by the time a woman discovers a lump in her breast, it’s too late. Then, too, cancer can grow for years before it is detected by a mammogram. If a woman knew ahead of time that she was at high risk of developing breast cancer, she and her physician could develop a strategy to ensure that the cancer, if it occurs, is caught early on.
Neomatrix of Irvine, Calif., has developed a fully automated, non-invasive device to assess a patient’s risk of developing breast cancer. The HALO Breast Pap Test extracts nipple aspirate fluid and analyzes it for atypical cells. Atypical cells indicate that the patient is four to five times more likely to develop breast cancer. Patients could make any lifestyle changes necessary to reduce their risk, and physicians could more closely monitor the patient for the early detection of cancer.
The HALO device has been on the market since 2005. NeoMatrix CEO John Stroh says that the test is particularly effective for younger women, who have denser breasts that make cancer detection more difficult. In this video, Stroh discusses the HALO Breast Pap Test at the 2010 OneMedForum.
