Atypia and DNA methylation in nipple duct lavage in relation to predicted breast cancer risk

Background: Tumor suppressor gene (TSG) methylation is identified more frequently in random periareolar fine needle aspiration samples from women at high risk for breast cancer than women at lower risk. It is not known whether TSG methylation or atypia in nipple duct lavage (NDL) samples is related to predicted breast cancer risk. Methods: 514 NDL samples obtained from 150 women selected to represent a wide range of breast cancer risk were evaluated cytologically and by quantitative multiplex methylation-specific PCR for methylation of cyclin D2, APC, HIN1, RASSF1A, and RAR-beta 2. Results: Based on methylation patterns and cytology, NDL retrieved cancer cells from only 9% of breasts ipsilateral to a breast cancer. Methylation of >= 2 genes correlated with marked atypia by univariate analysis, but not multivariate analysis, that adjusted for sample cellularity and risk group classification. Both marked atypia and TSG methylation independently predicted abundant cellularity in multivariate analyses. Discrimination between Gail lower-risk ducts and Gail high-risk ducts was similar for marked atypia [odds ratio (OR), 3.48; P 0.06] and measures of TSG methylation (OR, 3.51; P 0.03). However, marked atypia provided better discrimination between Gail lower-risk ducts and ducts contralateral to a breast cancer (OR, 6.91; P 0.003, compared with methylation OR, 4.21; P = 0.02). Conclusions: TSG methylation in NDL samples does not predict marked atypia after correcting for sample cellularity and risk group classification. Rather, both methylation and marked atypia are independently associated with highly cellular samples, Gail model risk classifications, and a personal history of breast cancer. This suggests the existence of related, but independent, pathogenic pathways in breast epithelium.