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  • Title: Clinical implications of lactose-positive breast secretions in nonpuerperal females.
    Author: Hagler L, Coppes RI, Block M, Hofeldt FD, Herman RG.
    Journal: Obstet Gynecol; 1975 Sep; 46(3):302-7. PubMed ID: 1172220.
    Abstract:
    Inappropriate milk-like secretion from the breasts is not infrequently encountered in patients. Usually these secretions have been identified as milk on the basis of their characteristic appearance, and only rarely has their identity as milk been proven by appropriate analysis. Since milk is chemically defined as a lactose-containing mammary secretion, the presence of lactose in a breast secretion identifies it as milk irrespective of its appearance or the presence of other constituents. Lactose can be readily identified by thin-layer chromatographic methods, which despite their inherent speed and sensitivity have not been widely utilized. A method using commercially prepared cellulose layers and a sandwich developing apparatus is presented in detail. This method utilizes current advances in chromatographic techniques and permits rapid and accurate identification of lactose in breast secretions. Such secretions from 10 nonpuerperal women were screened for the presence of lactose. The milk-like secretions from 8 contained varying amounts of lactose, which was not detectable in the secretions from the other 2. There was no correlation between the appearance of the secretion and the presence of lactose. A thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) method for confirming the presence of lactose in any breast secretion characterized as milk is presented. The chromatography apparatus and technique are described in detail. Refinements in TLC were achieved with the use of improved sorbent materials and the incorporation of the S chamber (sandwich chamber). Breast secretions from 10 nonpuerperal women were analyzed by TLC for the presence of lactose. Varying amounts of lactose were present in the milklike secretions of 8 patients, while no detectable amounts were present in the remaining two. Patients with lactose-positive breast secretions should be examined to determine the cause of galactorrhea.
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