Bleeding from the Nipple

[Dulin]

Sir:  My sister has bleeding from the nipple.  She is 48.  Is there any concern for cancer or could there be other reasons?  Thank you.

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear Dulin:  There are other explanations for bleeding from the nipple that represent benign conditions - a papilloma for example.  If she is bleeding from the nipple, she should be evaluated.

[Dulin]

Sir:  Thank you very much, that sounds somewhat encouraging.

[surgeon]

Most bleeding from the nipple is not caused by cancer; the most common cause is a papilloma, which is a non-cancerous tumor. However, cancer is definitly on the list of possibilities (around a 10% chance), so it absolutley needs to be evaluated.

[aggie401]

Dear Surgeon,
   How reliable are the cytology reports from nipple smears? Can a nipple smear come back positive for an invasive cancer or only DCIS?  Thank you!