Nipple discharge was the presenting complaint in 104 patients (1.5%) from a series of 7000 women who were seen in a breast clinic over a 13-year period. Complete follow-up information was available in 66 Chinese patients. The mean age at presentation was 47 years. Twenty-six patients (39%) were postmenopausal. Unilateral discharge (92%) from a single duct (77%) was the main finding. There were five patients (8%) with proven breast cancer; benign duct papilloma was found in 17 patients. Multivariate analysis showed that cancer was most likely in women over the age of 55 (P < 0.05) and when the discharge was bloody (P < 0.05). Ductography was also found to be useful in the diagnosis of duct papilloma (P < 0.02).