The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 04, 2003
Filed:
Mar. 08, 2001
Applicant:
Inventor:
David Hung, Belmont, CA (US);
Assignee:
Cytyc Health Corporation, Boxborough, MA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 3/353 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 3/353 ;
Abstract
A sample for diagnosis of breast cancer can be prepared by isolating a ductal fluid sample from one duct of a breast of a patient. The isolated ductal fluid is not mixed with ductal fluid from any other duct of the breast. Generally the target duct is not spontaneously discharging. The isolated ductal fluid sample can be examined to determine the presence or absence of a marker associated with cancer or pre-cancer. An isolated ductal fluid sample not mixed with ductal fluid from any other duct of the breast permits identification of the duct which is diseased and provides increased sensitivity for existing diagnostic and analytic techniques.