A Multi-institutional Analysis of Factors Influencing the Rate of Positive MRI Biopsy Among Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The use of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for early-stage breast cancer (ESBC) is increasing, but its utility in detecting additional malignancy is unclear and delays surgical management (Jatoi and Benson in Future Oncol 9:347-353, 2013. https://doi.org/10.2217/fon.12.186 , Bleicher et al. J Am Coll Surg 209:180-187, 2009. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2009.04.010 , Borowsky et al. J Surg Res 280:114-122, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2022.06.066 ). The present study sought to identify ESBC patients most likely to benefit from preoperative MRI by assessing the positive predictive values (PPVs) of ipsilateral and contralateral biopsies. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study included patients with cTis-T2N0-N1 breast cancer from two institutions during 2016-2021. A "positive" biopsy result was defined as additional cancer (PositiveCancer) or cancer with histology often excised (PositiveSurg). The PPV of MRI biopsies was calculated with respect to age, family history, breast density, and histology. Uni- and multivariate logistic regression determined whether combinations of age younger than 50 years, dense breasts, family history, and pure ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) histology led to higher biopsy yield. RESULTS: Of the included patients, 447 received preoperative MRI and 131 underwent 149 MRI-guided biopsies (96 ipsilateral, 53 contralateral [18 bilateral]). PositiveCancer for ipsilateral biopsy was 54.2%, and PositiveCancer for contralateral biopsy was 17.0%. PositiveSurg for ipsilateral biopsy was 62.5%, and PositiveSurg for contralateral biopsy was 24.5%. Among the contralateral MRI biopsies, patients younger than 50 years were less likely to have PositiveSurg (odds ratio, 0.02; 95% confidence interval, 0.00-0.84; p = 0.041). The combinations of age, density, family history, and histology did not lead to a higher biopsy yield. CONCLUSION: Historically accepted factors for recommending preoperative MRI did not appear to confer a higher MRI biopsy yield. To prevent delays to surgical management, MRI should be carefully selected for individual patients most likely to benefit from additional imaging.

Lack of Racial Diversity in Surgery and Pathology Textbooks Depicting Diseases of the Breast.

INTRODUCTION: The lack of racial diversity depicted in medical education texts may contribute to an implicit racial bias among clinicians. This bias influences outcomes, as familiarity with the various cutaneous manifestations of disease is essential to making an accurate diagnosis. To better understand the racial disparities in breast surgery, we sought to determine the extent of skin tone representation depicted in images of breast surgery and pathology textbooks. METHODS: Textbooks were screened for color images of conditions with sufficient skin tissue present to assign the Fitzpatrick skin phototype (FSP). Figures were independently assigned an FP score (range: 1-6), and subdivided into "light skin" (FP 1-3) and "dark skin" (FP 4-6). Number of figures in each category and percentage of patients with each skin tone were calculated. RESULTS: 557 figures were included. Among 12 textbooks reviewed, seven textbooks were from the discipline of surgery, while five were pathology-related. Textbook year of publication spanned from 1996 to 2018. Overall, 533 (95.7%) figures depicted patients with light skin color versus 24 (4.3%) with dark skin color. There was no association between FP score and year of textbook publication (P = 0.69). CONCLUSIONS: Patient images in breast textbooks are overwhelmingly of light skin tones, excluding patients with darker skin tones. The dearth of images depicting dark skinned individuals did not improve over time. Inclusion of patients of color in future textbooks may help reduce racial disparities within breast cancer care.

Radar reflector guided axillary surgery in node positive breast cancer patients.

INTRODUCTION: In patients with non-palpable breast cancer, the availability of wireless localization techniques facilitates removal of the target lesion. One such technique uses a radar reflector for localization (RRL). This study evaluates the feasibility and effectiveness of RRL to guide excision of axillary lymph nodes in patients with node-positive breast cancer. METHODS: Our Breast Cancer Database was queried for patients diagnosed with breast cancer, between 5/2017 and 10/2021, who underwent preoperative placement of a radar reflector into a biopsy proven axillary lymph node. Clinicopathologic data were reported using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Twenty patients underwent preoperative placement of a radar reflector into the axilla. Intraoperatively, the clip and radar reflector were successfully removed in all patients. Among the 10 patients treated with NAC, 5 patients achieved an axillary pathologic complete response (pCR) and were spared a complete axillary lymph node dissection (cALND). Among the entire cohort, RRL resulted in a 53% reduction in the number of lymph nodes removed. CONCLUSIONS: Wireless localization of axillary lymph nodes is safe and feasible. The technique ensures excision of biopsy proven positive axillary lymph nodes and enables a targeted approach to assessing the axilla, both in the setting of NAC and upfront surgery.

The Association of Preoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) With Surgical Management in Patients With Early-Stage Breast Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: The rate of mastectomy in lumpectomy-eligible patients with unilateral breast cancer is increasing. We sought to investigate the association between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and surgical management of patients with early-stage breast cancer by comparing the rate of mastectomy as first surgery in patients with and without preoperative MRI. METHODS: A bi-institutional retrospective study included patients diagnosed between 2016 and 2020. Lumpectomy-eligible patients with in situ and invasive cancer were included. Those receiving preoperative therapy, MRI before diagnosis, or with known bilateral cancer were excluded. The risk factors for bilateral and multicentric disease were accounted for. Fisher's exact and chi-square tests compared categorical variables, Wilcoxon two-sample test analyzed continuous variables, and multivariate analyses were performed with Poisson regression. RESULTS: Four hundred twenty-eight participants met inclusion criteria. Patients who received MRI were younger (58 versus 67 y; P < 0.001) and had denser breasts (group 3 or 4; 61% versus 25%; P < 0.001). Mastectomy rate was twice as high in patients undergoing MRI (32% versus 15%, rate ratio 2.16; P < 0.001), which remained significant in multivariate analysis (rate ratio 2.0; P < 0.001). Contralateral mastectomy (12% versus 4%; P = 0.466) and reexcision (13% versus 12%; P = 0.519) rates were similar. Time to surgery was greater in those receiving MRI alone and MRI biopsy (34 [no MRI] versus 45 [MRI] versus 62 [MRI biopsy]; P < 0.001 for both). CONCLUSIONS: MRI receipt is associated with a doubled rate of mastectomy in lumpectomy-eligible patients. Future work is needed to standardize patient selection for MRI to those with the highest likelihood of having additional undiagnosed disease.