The role of breast ductoscopy in evaluation of nipple discharge: a chinese experience of 419 patients.

The aim of this study is to report our experience with ductoscopic evaluation for screening patients with nipple discharge and evaluate any potential indications and benefits of ductoscopy. From January 2010 to December 2012, 419 female patients with nipple discharge were enrolled in this study. All patients involved in this study showed no mass in ultrasound and mammography. Data concerning age, clinical characteristics of nipple discharge, nipple discharge cytology, ductoscopic and postsurgical diagnosis, and complications were statistically analyzed. Ductoscopy examinations were completed in 405 patients (96.66%). For these 405 patients, there were 519 ductoscopic investigations. 112 (27.65%) patients were found to have intraductal papillary lesions of which 62 were operated in our hospital. Postsurgical diagnosis showed 8 (12.9%) malignancy including 6 DCIS and 2 invasive ductal carcinomas. All of the 8 patients meet at least two criteria of pathologic nipple discharge (single duct, spontaneous, bloody nipple discharge). The other patients with nonpapillary lesions are still under surveillance. By univariate analysis, patients with unilateral, single duct, spontaneous and bloody nipple discharge were more likely to have intraductal papillary lesions. By multivariate analysis, unilateral, spontaneous, and bloody nipple discharge showed statistically significant correlations with intraductal papillary lesions revealed by ductoscopy. Ductoscopy is a safe and efficient investigation in preoperative screening of the patients with nipple discharge. Clinical characteristics have predictive value in selection of patients for ductoscopical investigation. Patients with clinical characteristics of unilateral, spontaneous, and bloody nipple discharge were more likely to have intraductal papillary lesions revealed by ductoscopy.