Implanted markers prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy: preliminary report

Full text

In our experience, some women with a large breast carcinoma have responded so well to neoadjuvant chemotherapy that the tumour has been difficult to locate at surgery. We have started placing metallic markers in such tumours before, or in the early stages of, chemotherapy with a view to ensuring that the lesion can be localised if necessary. This presentation reports the results of the first six patients treated in this way.

Tumour size was estimated by ultrasound examination at the time of implantation, half way through chemotherapy and prior to surgery. One did not respond to neoadjuvant therapy and had a mastectomy. The other five had varying degrees of response, with one becoming impalpable and having conservation surgery. In three cases the implanted marker was used for mammography-guided localisation prior to surgery. The marker was within the tumour on histological examination in all cases.

A larger study is under way to determine by how much an implanted marker can move within the breast.