A new test can give women a five year early warning for breast cancer. It only takes a few minutes and it's not very expensive.

Deneen Tate, 40, takes her health seriously. She does yearly mammograms, but wanted a little extra peace of mind. "I just thought it would be a good opportunity to be proactive."

Tate decided to have the HALO Breast Pap Test done at her doctor's office.

The machine used for test is much like a breast pump. During the five minute procedure, fluid is extracted from the milk ducts, where most breast cancers originate. "If there's fluid obtained from the breast, that is sent away for testing. If no fluid is obtained from the breast, they it's a negative test," said Dr. Jeffrey Caruth.

A woman with abnormal cells detected in the fluid is four to five times more likely to develop breast cancer.

The pap test provides early warning. "That finding may be as much as five years prior to the time a calcification shows up on a mammogram, "says Dr. Caruth.

Dr. Caruth recommends the test for younger women regardless of family history. Insurance doesn't cover it, but the cost is only $75. "Some women are very willing to pay $75 to have that piece of mind and know they're not in the high risk category for breast cancer."

Deneen Tate wanted the additional test to supplement her yearly mammograms.

Her test came back negative. "If you're going to take an extra step to make sure that you're healthy and be proactive for your health, I say definitely do it."

Women who test positive get early warning and can start minimizing their risk through lifestyle changes, like diet and exercise.