Skip to main content
  • Poster presentation
  • Open access
  • Published:

PB.34. Marker clip placement may not be needed in breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy with a view to breast-conserving surgery whose tumours are associated with microcalcification

Introduction

Patients who are potential candidates for breast conservation surgery following neoadjuvant chemotherapy have their tumours marked with a maker clip to guide surgery. Some of the breast cancers are associated with microcalcification. So far we have not seen any publication showing the potential use of tumour-associated microcalcification, which could be used as marker of the tumour bed instead of a marker clip. We present prospective case series where microcalcification associated with tumour had been used to guide surgery

Methods

Thirty-eight patients with breast cancers underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy between 1 December 2012 and 7 May 2014 at a single institute. At the end of chemotherapy 16 patients underwent successful breast-conserving surgery (BCS). Nineteen patients' tumours were associated with microcalcification.

Results

Of the patients who underwent successful BCS, seven had tumour-associated microcalcification. In six of these patients the tumour-associated microcalcification was solely used as a marker of the tumour bed. In one case, due to the presence of few tiny eccentric specks of microcalcification associated with the tumour, it was decided to place a maker clip. In all seven cases, tumour-associated microcalcification was readily apparent during localisation.

Conclusion

Traditionally, placement of commercially available markers clips (costs around £55 per clip) is recommended for patients considered suitable for BCS following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Albeit a small series, our experience demonstrates that tumour-associated microcalcification will still be apparent after completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and as such can be used as a marker of the tumour bed, thus saving costs associated with clip placement.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sreenivas, M. PB.34. Marker clip placement may not be needed in breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy with a view to breast-conserving surgery whose tumours are associated with microcalcification. Breast Cancer Res 16 (Suppl 1), P1 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1186/bcr3702

Download citation

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/bcr3702

Keywords