HALO Breast Pap Test Information Site

Everything you need to know about the HALO Breast Pap Test

Breast Cancer Is A Serious Concern For All Women

Until recently, the standard care for screening women to assess their breast health and risk of developing breast cancer was review of family history, physical breast exam, plus regular mammography for women over 40 or 50.

However, clinical experience has shown that none of these methods is effective in identifying cancers at the cellular level. By the time the cancer is detected by either physical examination or mammography, the woman may have had the disease for six to ten years, with significant risk of serious consequences — including death. In addition, it should be noted that more than 70% of breast lumps are initially found through self-examination.

Now, the HALO Breast Pap Test can detect cellular abnormalities years before a larger, potentially cancerous lesion might develop.

 

HALO Breast Pap Test Highlights:

» Noninvasive
» Simple 5-minute procedure
» Can be performed during annual check up
» Well tolerated by most patients
» Safe, with no side effects
» Inexpensive

 

 

Reduction Of Breast Cancer Mortality Has Been Minimal

Although great progress has been made over the past 50 years in reducing deaths from cervical cancer, only modest progress has been made in reducing breast cancer mortality.

 

 

The decline in cervical cancer mortality is largely attributed to the introduction of the cervical Pap Test to detect pre-cancerous cellular abnormalities.

 

Incorporating the HALO Breast Pap Test into routine practice will enable physicians and patients to monitor cellular changes within breast ducts earlier, before they develop into larger, potentially cancerous lesions that may much later be detected by conventional breast cancer screening modalities like mammography or manual breast examination.

 

 

The HALO Breast Pap Test is a simple, reliable method for NAF collection. NAF analysis is an objective assessment of a patient's breast health and can detect early warning signs of ductal cellular changes. Regular assessment and tracking of cellular changes in the milk ducts, where most breast cancer begins, enables clinicians and patients to take control of breast health.

 

The HALO Breast Pap Test is the only fully automated, noninvasive NAF collection system specifically designed for use in a setting.

 

The key to surviving breast cancer is to detect it as soon as possible. If cancer is found in its early stages, particularly if it is still contained in the breast, the 5-year survival is near 100%. Currently, over 70% of women diagnosed with breast cancer are not considered to be high risk, so it is important for women and their doctors to closely monitor their health. The ecomonical HALO Breast Pap Test can be an effective strategy and can be conveniently scheduled during a patients routine annual exam.

 

The HALO Pap Test itself is quick and simple: cups are placed over the breast and a combination of warmth, compression and suction are applied for five minutes. Almost half of the women are expected to produce fluid, which is then sent to the lab for analysis, as is done now with pap smears for cervical cancer. For decades, clinicians have known that the breast fluid is an indicator of a woman's breast health. What is new is the ability to perform this test during a regular office visit with a device that is quick, noninvasive, and repeatable. The HALO Pap Test for the Breast is an important component of any well-woman checkup and is available now at Great Neck OBGYN.