Increase in length of life has helped to provide better cosmetic appearance of the breast and to have an increase in
breast-conserving surgery. As a result, the number of studies dedicated to reducing the morbidity of surgical treatment is increasing (5-7).
Because IBC affects so much of the breast and skin,
breast-conserving surgery (partial mastectomy or lumpectomy) and skin-sparing mastectomy are not options, according to the Cancer Society.
In conjunction with the recent acquisition of Faxitron Bioptics, Focal strengthens the company's position in the rapidly growing market for
breast-conserving surgery.
Two hundred eighty-seven women aged 40 years or older with pathologically confirmed stage 0 to IIA breast cancer treated with
breast-conserving surgery were enrolled and observed for a minimum of three years.
As for treatment,
breast-conserving surgery followed by radiation therapy and hormonal treatment/chemotherapy depending on the type of cancer is the standard care for newly diagnosed breast cancer in elderly women.
In studies where radiotherapy was applied it lead to increase OS in MBC patients after MRM or after
breast-conserving surgery but when subgroups are examined after applying MRM to tumours less than 5 cm in size and when 4 and less lymph nodes are positive its effect could not be ascertained.9 As a result in patients diagnosed with MBC, radiotherapy can be considered as adjuvant as a standard in patients with breast protection surgery and in patients with MRM.
The study randomised 2 016 women who had undergone
breast-conserving surgery for early breast cancer to three radiotherapy treatment groups: standard 40 Gy whole-breast radiotherapy, a reduced regimen of 36 Gy to the whole breast, and 40 Gy to the tumour site only.
CairnSurgical, a Dartmouth spinoff, is developing an MRI-derived surgical guidance device, the Breast Cancer Locator, to improve the accuracy of
breast-conserving surgery. The company will collaborate with Dartmouth College researchers to develop and optimize MRI imaging parameters across multiple MRI scanners and in multisite settings.
Predictors of recurrence for ductal carcinoma in situ after
breast-conserving surgery. Lancet Oncol.
It can contribute to surgical down-staging and increase rates of
breast-conserving surgery, in addition to providing an in vivo assessment of tumor response to chemotherapy (3).
Correa et al., "Effect of radiotherapy after
breast-conserving surgery on 10-year recurrence and 15-year breast cancer death: meta-analysis of individual patient data for 10 801 women in 17 randomised trials," The Lancet, vol.