Advances in intraductal therapy for breast cancer prevention and treatment

The understanding of the biological behavior of breast cancer has deepened, hence, local treatments for breast cancer have changed from resection to minimally invasive surgery. For patients with early breast cancer, constructing a minimally invasive intervention with low systemic toxicity is a problem, especially for cases involving precancerous lesions. Intraductal therapy for breast cancer, which is performed by inserting reagents through breastfeeding openings using suitable carriers, is a promising, accurate, and minimally invasive method for breast cancer prevention and treatment. The combination of intraductal therapy with new therapeutic strategies, such as targeted therapy, endocrine therapy, and immunotherapy, might improve the therapeutic effect. Moreover, the mechanisms of intraductal therapy for breast cancer incorporate nanotechnology, molecular imaging, and gene sequencing. Intraductal therapy is based on clinical and pathologic characteristics of Chinese breast cancer patients, and such characteristics must be determined prior to clinical application. This article mainly discusses the research progress of breast intraductal intervention.