Is There a Role for Routine Use of MRI in Selection of Patients for Breast-Conserving Cancer Therapy?

Mass and non-mass breast MRI patterns: a radiologic approach to sick lobe theory

BACKGROUND

According to sick lobe theory, one or more lobes of the breast are more prone to the development of carcinoma. However, the implications of this theory in breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are unknown.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the MRI appearance of mass type (multifocal and multicentric diseases) and non-mass type (non-mass enhancements) sick lobe patterns, together with the histopathology results.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

MRI reports of 2015 patients in two tertiary breast imaging centers between June 2012 and June 2018 were retrospectively reviewed for multifocal-multicentric diseases and segmental, linear, and regional enhancements. A total of 113 patients were included. The specimens obtained by thick needle, vacuum, excisional biopsy/lumpectomy or mastectomy after breast MRI scans were pathologically assessed. The pathologic results were categorized as invasive carcinoma, precursor, and benign proliferative lesions according to the 2012 World Health Organization Classification of Tumors.

RESULTS

The percentage of underlying benign and precursor invasive lesions was significantly different in patients with mass and non-mass MRI patterns. While the pathology results of mass type patterns were premalignant and malignant in all cases, nearly half of the underlying histologies were benign proliferative subtypes in patients with non-mass type patterns.

CONCLUSION

In this study, the mass and non-mass patterns derived from sick lobe theory were related to different risks of malignancy in the pathological examinations.

Multidisciplinary care of breast cancer patients: a scoping review of multidisciplinary styles, processes, and outcomes

Background

Clinical practice guidelines recommend a multidisciplinary approach to cancer care that brings together all relevant disciplines to discuss optimal disease management. However, the literature is characterized by heterogeneous definitions and few reviews about the processes and outcomes of multidisciplinary care. The objective of this scoping review was to identify and classify the definitions and characteristics of multidisciplinary care, as well as outcomes and interventions for patients with breast cancer.

Methods

A systematic search for quantitative and qualitative studies about multidisciplinary care for patients with breast cancer was conducted for January 2001 to December 2017 in the following electronic databases: medline, embase, PsycInfo, and cinahl. Two reviewers independently applied our eligibility criteria at level 1 (title/abstract) and level 2 (full-text) screening. Data were extracted and synthesized descriptively.

Results

The search yielded 9537 unique results, of which 191 were included in the final analysis. Two main types of multidisciplinary care were identified: conferences and clinics. Most studies focused on outcomes of multidisciplinary care that could be variously grouped at the patient, provider, and system levels. Research into processes tended to focus on processes that facilitate implementation: team-working, meeting logistics, infrastructure, quality audit, and barriers and facilitators.

Summary

Approaches to multidisciplinary care using conferences and clinics are well described. However, studies vary by design, clinical context, patient population, and study outcome. The heterogeneity of the literature, including the patient populations studied, warrants further specification of multidisciplinary care practice and systematic reviews of the processes or contexts that make the implementation and operation of multidisciplinary care effective.

Impact of Preoperative Breast MR Imaging and MR-guided Surgery on Diagnosis and Surgical Outcome of Women with Invasive Breast Cancer with and without DCIS Component

Purpose To (a) compare the diagnostic accuracy of breast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with that of conventional imaging (digital mammography and breast ultrasonography) in the identification of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) components of biopsy-proven invasive breast cancer before surgery and (b) investigate the surgical outcome (positive margin rates and mastectomy rates) of women with breast cancer who underwent preoperative MR imaging combined with MR-guided needle biopsy and/or MR-guided lesion localization or bracketing where appropriate. Materials and Methods The authors performed a prospective two-center study of 593 consecutive patients with biopsy-proven invasive breast cancer who underwent breast MR imaging in addition to conventional imaging. MR-guided vacuum biopsy and MR-guided lesion bracketing were performed for DCIS components visible at MR imaging alone. The accuracy of breast MR imaging was compared with that of conventional imaging, and surgical outcomes (positive margin and mastectomy rates) were investigated. Results Surgical-pathologic assessment demonstrated DCIS components in 139 of the 593 women (23.4%). The sensitivity of MR imaging for the diagnosis of DCIS components pre-operatively (84.9%; 118 of 139) was significantly higher than that of conventional imaging (36.7%; 51 of 139) (P < .0001); more than half of DCIS components (51.1%; 71 of 139) were detected only with MR imaging. The sensitivity advantage of MR imaging over conventional imaging increased with increasing relative size of DCIS components, as follows: The sensitivity of MR imaging versus conventional imaging for small, marginal DCIS components was 56.8% (21 of 37) versus 29.7% (11 of 37); the sensitivity for extensive DCIS components was 91.7% (55 of 60) versus 41.7% (25 of 60); the sensitivity for large, predominant DCIS components was 100.0% (42 of 42) versus 35.7% (15 of 42). Moreover, the sensitivity advantage of MR imaging over conventional imaging increased with increasing nuclear grade of DCIS components, as follows: The sensitivity of MR imaging versus conventional imaging for low-grade DCIS components was 74.0% (20 of 27) versus 40.7% (11 of 27); the sensitivity for intermediate-grade DCIS components was 84.1% (53 of 63) versus 34.9% (22 of 63); the sensitivity for high-grade DCIS components was 91.8% (45 of 49) versus 36.7% (18 of 49) (P < .05-.001 for all). Positive margin rates were low overall (3.7% [95% Clopper Pearson confidence interval [CI]: 2.3%, 5.6%]) and did not differ significantly between the 139 women with DCIS components (5.0% [95% CI: 2.0%, 10.1%]) compared with the 454 women without such components (3.3% [95% CI: 1.9%, 5.4%]). The same was true for mastectomy rates (10.8% [95% CI: 6.2%, 17.2%] vs 8.1% [95% CI: 5.8%, 11.1%]). Conclusion Breast MR imaging improves depiction of DCIS components of invasive breast cancers before surgery and is associated with positive margin and mastectomy rates that are low irrespective of the presence or absence of DCIS components. ^© RSNA, 2017.

Enhancing patterns of breast cancer on preoperative dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and resection margin in breast conserving therapy

BACKGROUND

The association between enhancing patterns of preoperative dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and resection margins after BCS has not been studied in detail before.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the association between surgical outcomes and enhancing patterns observed on DCE-MRI.

METHODS

269 enhancing patterns on DCE-MRI scans were selected, and subdivided into the following groups: (1) a single mass-like enhancement, (2) a single non-mass-like enhancement (NME), (3) mass-like enhancing breast cancer with other mass-like enhancing lesions, and (4) mass-like enhancing breast cancer with additional NMEs. Associations between enhancing patterns on DCE-MRI and re-excision rate, size of specimen, and ratio of tumor/specimen were evaluated retrospectively.

RESULTS

The conversion rate from breast conserving therapy (BCT) to mastectomy as a result of MRI findings was 13.4%, re-excision rate during BCT was 8.2% and excision rate of another suspicious lesion was 7.4%. The single NME group had the highest re-excision rate after BCT (22.2%) (p = 0.02). The ratio of tumor/specimen (p = 0.61) and mean specimen size (p = 0.38) were not influenced by enhancement patterns. The false positive rate and positive predictive values of using DCE-MRI for defining the extension of breast cancer was 22.2% and 71.4%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Enhancement patterns on DCE- MRI, especially NME, could increase re-excision rates.

Impact of value based breast cancer care pathway implementation on pre-operative breast magnetic resonance imaging utilization

BACKGROUND

Bilateral breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is commonly used in the diagnostic workup of breast cancer (BC) to assess extent of disease and identify occult foci of disease. However, evidence for routine use of pre-operative MRI is lacking. Breast MRI is costly and can lead to unnecessary tests and treatment delays. Clinical care pathways (care paths) are value-based guidelines, which define management recommendations derived by expert consensus and available evidence based data. At Cleveland Clinic, care paths created for newly diagnosed BC patients recommend selective use of pre-operative MRI. We evaluated the number of pre-operative MRIs ordered before and after implementing an institution wide BC care paths in April 2014.

METHODS

A retrospective review was conducted of BC cases during the years 2012, 2014, and part of 2015. Patient, tumor and treatment characteristics were collected. Pre-operative MRI utilization was compared before and after care path implementation.

RESULTS

We identified 1,515 BC patients during the study period. Patients were more likely to undergo pre-operative MRI in 2012 than 2014 (OR: 2.77; P<0.001; 95% CI: 1.94-3.94) or 2015 (OR: 4.14; P<0.001; 95% CI: 2.51-6.83). There was a significant decrease in pre-operative MRI utilization between 2012 and 2014 (P<0.001) after adjustment for pre-operative MRIs ordered for care path indications.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of online BC care paths at our institution was associated with a decreased use of pre-operative MRI overall and in patients without a BC care path indication, driving value based care through the reduction of pre-operative breast MRIs.

A Retrospective Study Evaluating the Impact of Preoperative Breast MRI on Surgical Decision-Making in Young Patients (≤50 Years) with Invasive Breast Cancer

INTRODUCTION

Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is considered a more sensitive diagnostic test for detecting invasive breast cancer than mammography or breast ultrasound. Breast MRI may be particularly useful in younger premenopausal women with higher density breast tissue for differentiating between dense fibroglandular breast tissue and breast malignancies. The main objective of this study was to determine the impact of preoperative breast MRI on surgical decision-making in young women with breast cancer.

METHODS

A retrospective review of patients with newly diagnosed invasive breast cancer and age of ≤50 years was performed. All patients underwent physical examination, preoperative mammogram, breast ultrasound, and bilateral breast MRI. Two breast cancer surgeons reviewed the preoperative mammogram report, breast ultrasound report, and physical examination summary and were asked if they would recommend a lumpectomy, a quandrantectomy, or a mastectomy. A few weeks later, the two surgeons were shown the same information with the breast MRI report and were asked what type of surgery they would now recommend. In each case, MRI was classified by two adjudicators as having affected the surgical outcome in a positive, negative, or neutral fashion. A positive impact was defined as the situation where breast MRI detected additional disease that was not found on physical examination, mammogram, or breast ultrasound and led to an appropriate change in surgical management. A negative impact was defined as the situation where breast MRI led the surgeon to recommend more extensive surgery, with less extensive disease actually found at pathology. No impact was defined as the situation where MRI findings did not alter surgical recommendations or outcomes.

RESULTS

Of 37 patients whose charts were reviewed, five patients were deemed to be ineligible due to having received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, having previous breast implants, or having had their tumor fully excised during biopsy. In total, 32 patients met the inclusion criteria of this study and were appropriate for analysis. The median age of our study patient population was 42 years. The pathologic diagnosis was invasive ductal carcinoma in 91% (29/32) of patients and invasive lobular carcinoma in 9% (3/32) of patients. For surgeon A, clinical management was altered in 21/32 (66%) patients, and for surgeon B, management was altered in 13/32 (41%) patients. The most common change in surgical decision-making after breast MRI was from breast-conserving surgery to a mastectomy. Mastectomy rates were similar between both surgeons after breast MRI. After reviewing the pathology results and comparing them with the breast MRI results, it was determined that breast MRI led to a positive outcome in 13/32 (41%) patients. Breast MRI led to no change in surgical management in 15/32 (47%) patients and resulted in a negative change in surgical management in 4/32 (13%) patients. Bilateral breast MRI detected a contralateral breast cancer in 2/32 (6%) patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative breast MRI alters surgical management in a significant proportion of younger women diagnosed with breast cancer. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings and to help determine if this change in surgical decision-making will result in improved local control.

The Changing World of Breast Cancer: A Radiologist's Perspective

Compared with other fields of medicine, there is hardly an area that has seen such fast development as the world of breast cancer. Indeed, the way we treat breast cancer has changed fundamentally over the past decades. Breast imaging has always been an integral part of this change, and it undergoes constant adjustment to new ways of thinking. This relates not only to the technical tools we use for diagnosing breast cancer but also to the way diagnostic information is used to guide treatment. There is a constant change of concepts for and attitudes toward breast cancer, and a constant flux of new ideas, new treatment approaches, and new insights into the molecular and biological behavior of this disease. Clinical breast radiologists and even more so, clinician scientists, interested in breast imaging need to keep abreast with this rapidly changing world. Diagnostic or treatment approaches that are considered useful today may be abandoned tomorrow. Approaches that seem irrelevant or far too extravagant today may prove clinically useful and adequate next year. Radiologists must constantly question what they do, and align their clinical aims and research objectives with the changing needs of contemporary breast oncology. Moreover, knowledge about the past helps better understand present debates and controversies. Accordingly, in this article, we provide an overview on the evolution of breast imaging and breast cancer treatment, describe current areas of research, and offer an outlook regarding the years to come.

Does Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Combined With Conventional Imaging Modalities Decrease the Rates of Surgical Margin Involvement and Reoperation?: A Case-Control Comparative Analysis

The objective of this study was to assess whether preoperative breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with conventional breast imaging techniques decreases the rates of margin involvement and reexcision.Data on patients who underwent surgery for primary operable breast cancer were obtained from the Changhua Christian Hospital (CCH) breast cancer database. The rate of surgical margin involvement and the rate of reoperation were compared between patients who underwent conventional breast imaging modalities (Group A: mammography and sonography) and those who received breast MRI in addition to conventional imaging (Group B: mammography, sonography, and MRI).A total of 1468 patients were enrolled in this study. Among the 733 patients in Group A, 377 (51.4%) received breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and 356 (48.6%) received mastectomy. Among the 735 patients in Group B, 348 (47.3%) received BCS and 387 (52.7%) received mastectomy. There were no significant differences in operative method between patients who received conventional imaging alone and those that received MRI and conventional imaging (P = 0.13). The rate of detection of pathological multifocal/multicentric breast cancer was markedly higher in patients who received preoperative MRI than in those who underwent conventional imaging alone (14.3% vs 8.6%, P < 0.01). The overall rate of surgical margin involvement was significantly lower in patients who received MRI (5.0%) than in those who received conventional imaging alone (9.0%) (P < 0.01). However, a significant reduction in rate of surgical margin positivity was only observed in patients who received BCS (Group A, 14.6%; Group B, 6.6%, P < 0.01). The overall BCS reoperation rates were 11.7% in the conventional imaging group and 3.2% in the combined MRI group (P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in rate of residual cancer in specimens obtained during reoperation between the 2 preoperative imaging groups (Group A, 50%; Group B, 81.8%, P = 0.09). In multivariate analysis, multifocal/multicentric breast cancer (odds ratio = 2.38, P = 0.02) and without MRI use (odds ratio = 2.35, P < 0.01) were the major predisposing factors to margin involvement in patients received BCS.Preoperative breast MRI combined with conventional breast imaging results in a lower rate of surgical margin involvement and reoperations in patients who receive BCS.

Surgical patterns of care in patients with invasive breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant systemic therapy and breast magnetic resonance imaging: results of a secondary analysis of TBCRC 017

BACKGROUND

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) downstages advanced primary tumors, with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) being the most sensitive imaging predictor of response. However, the impact of MRI evaluation on surgical treatment decisions in the neoadjuvant setting has not been well described. We report surgical patterns of care across 8 National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer centers in women receiving both NCT and MRI to evaluate the impact of MRI findings on surgical planning.

METHODS

Seven hundred seventy women from 8 institutions received NCT with MRI obtained both before and after systemic treatment. Univariate and multivariate analyses of imaging, patient-, and tumor-related covariates associated with choice of breast surgery were conducted.

RESULTS

MRI and surgical data were available on 759 of 770 patients. A total of 345 of 759 (45 %) patients received breast-conserving surgery and 414 of 759 (55 %) received mastectomy. Mastectomy occurred more commonly in patients with incomplete MRI response versus complete (58 vs. 43 %) (p = 0.0003). On multivariate analysis, positive estrogen receptor status (p = 0.02), incomplete MRI response (p = 0.0003), higher baseline T classification (p < 0.0001), younger age (p < 0.0006), and institution (p = 0.003) were independent predictors of mastectomy. A statistically significant trend toward increasing use of mastectomy with increasing T stage at presentation (p < 0.0001) was observed in patients with incomplete response by MRI only. Among women with complete response on MRI, 43 % underwent mastectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

Within a multi-institutional cohort of women undergoing neoadjuvant treatment for breast cancer, MRI findings were not clearly associated with extent of surgery. This study shows that receptor status, T stage at diagnosis, young age, and treating institution are more significant determinants of surgical treatment choice than MRI response data.

Usefulness of magnetic resonance in patients with invasive cancer eligible for breast conservation: a comparative study

BACKGROUND

The role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in newly detected breast cancer remains controversial. We investigated the impact of preoperative MRI on surgical management of infiltrating breast carcinoma (IBC).

METHODS

We reviewed data of 237 patients with IBC who were suitable for breast-conserving surgery (BCS) between 2009 and 2011. Of these patients, 109 underwent preoperative MRI (46%; MRI group) and 128 did not (54%; no-MRI group). We analyzed MRI-triggered changes in surgical plan and compared differences in rates of positive margins and mastectomy.

RESULTS

Tumor size was larger in the MRI group (16.8 mm vs. 13.9 mm; P < .001). MRI changed the initial surgical planning in 18 of 109 patients (16.5%) because of detection of larger tumor diameter requiring wider resection (8 patients [7.3%]) or additional malignant lesions in the ipsilateral (9 patients [8.2%]) or contralateral breast (1 patient [0.9%]). MRI-triggered treatment changes included mastectomy (n = 12), wider excision (n = 5), and contralateral BCS (n = 1). Reoperation rates for positive margins after BCS appeared higher in the no-MRI group (4.1% vs. 8.6%), but the difference missed statistical significance (P = .9). Overall mastectomy rates were higher in the MRI group (13.7% vs. 7.0%; P < .05). The likelihood of having a change of treatment resulting from MRI was significantly higher for patients with tumors > 15 mm and for those with positive lymph nodes.

CONCLUSION

Lymph node positivity and tumor size > 15 mm may predict an MRI-triggered change in surgical plan. Preoperative MRI resulted in higher mastectomy rates justified by biopsy-proven additional foci of carcinoma and did not significantly reduce reoperation rates for positive margins.

Breast-specific gamma imaging influences surgical management in patients with breast cancer

Breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI) is a physiologic breast imaging modality that provides more sensitive detection of breast lesions than mammography or ultrasound, and appears to have greater specificity than breast MRI. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how often BSGI changed surgical management in patients with breast cancer. Charts were reviewed from 218 consecutive eligible patients who had preoperative evaluation with BSGI or MRI before surgery for breast cancer from January 2008 to May 2010. Patients who were initially considered eligible for breast-conserving therapy (BCT) were evaluated to determine how many ultimately had mastectomies. Patients who underwent mastectomy because of personal choice or ineligibility for BCT were excluded. Management was changed to mastectomy in 11.9% of those who had BSGI and 28.9% of those who had MRI. Review of pathology demonstrated that all patients who underwent mastectomies were not candidates for breast conservation. 15.4% of patients who underwent BCT based on BSGI findings required a single re-excision due to positive surgical margins. 14.4% required mastectomy. In the MRI group, 18.8% required a single re-excision, and 6.3% required mastectomy. Evaluation with BSGI changed management to mastectomy in a substantial proportion of patients believed to be eligible for BCT following standard imaging. BSGI is effective in evaluation of extent of disease in patients with breast cancer, and is comparable to MRI in terms of its influence on surgical management.

Oncoplastic surgery for breast cancer based on tumour location and a quadrant-per-quadrant atlas

BACKGROUND

The majority of published techniques for oncoplastic surgery rely on an inverted-T mammoplasty, independent of tumour location. These techniques, although useful, cannot be adapted to all situations. A quadrant-per-quadrant atlas of mammoplasty techniques for large breast cancers was developed in order to offer breast surgeons a technique dependent on tumour location, which reduces the risk of postoperative complications and delay to adjuvant therapy.

METHODS

From 2005 to 2010, a series of eligible women with breast cancer were treated by quadrant-specific oncoplastic techniques. All complications and any delay to adjuvant treatment were recorded prospectively, along with local and distant cancer recurrences. Cosmetic outcome was evaluated using a five-point scale.

RESULTS

A total of 175 patients were analysed. The median tumour size, after histological examination, was 25 (range 4-90) mm. Twenty-three patients (13.1 per cent) had involved margins. Seventeen of these patients were treated by mastectomy and three had a re-excision. Complications occurred in 13 patients (7.4 per cent), which led to a delay to adjuvant treatment in three (1.7 per cent). After a median follow-up of 49 (range 23-96) months, three patients had developed a local recurrence. The mean score after cosmetic evaluation was 4.6 of 5.

CONCLUSION

A quadrant-per-quadrant approach to oncoplastic techniques for breast cancer was developed that tailors the mammoplasty for each tumour location. This panel of techniques should be a useful guide for breast surgeons, and extends the possibilities for breast conservation for large or poorly limited cancers, with a low complication rate and good cosmetic results.

Comparative utility of MRI perfusion with MSIDR and DWIBS for the characterization of breast tumors

BACKGROUND

In recent years, breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used to evaluate the morphology and functional markers of breast lesions, which might influence local staging and surgical planning.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the feasibility of a one stop MRI protocol combined with diffusion-weighted imaging with background body signal suppression (DWIBS), T2*-weighted perfusion imaging (T2*-PWI) and delayed contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MRI (T1W-C+).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

All experiments were conducted with a 3-T clinical MRI scanner. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and detectability of lesions in DWIBS, the maximal signal intensity drop rate (MSIDR) in T2*-PWI and the intensity increasing rate (IIR) on T1W-C+ were compared between breast malignancies (n = 29) and benign lesions (n = 31). The time-signal curves in the T2*-PWI sequences were classified into two subtypes (a and b) according to the end of the curve. The ADC, MSIDR, the first maximal signal intensity decrease time (MSIDT), and IIR between the malignant and benign lesions were statistically analyzed by unpaired t-tests.

RESULTS

Overall, 90% of the lesions were detected by DWIBS. There were significant differences in ADC, MSIDR, and IIR between the carcinomas and benign lesions. The Ib subtype in T2*-PWI demonstrated a specificity of 66.7% in differentiating between carcinomas and benign lesions. At a fixed specificity of 93.5%, the MSIDR, IIR, and ADC differentiated breast carcinomas from benign lesions with sensitivities of 82.8%, 44.8%, and 86.2%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

DWIBS might be a compensation sequence for detecting breast lesions in pre-contrast sequences. MSIDR from T2*-PWI had the best specificity index, and the two subtypes in the T2*-PWI curve were helpful in the differential diagnosis of carcinomas from benign lesions.

Nanoparticle delivery for metastatic breast cancer

Breast cancer represents a major ongoing public health problem as the most common non-cutaneous malignancy among U.S. women. While significant progress has been made in improving loco-regional treatments for breast cancer, relatively little progress has been made in diagnosing and treating patients with metastatic breast cancer. At present there are limited curative options for patients with breast cancer metastatic beyond regional nodes. Emerging nanotechnologies promise new approaches to early detection and treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Fulfilling the promise of nanotechnologies for patients with metastatic breast cancer will require delivery of nanomaterials to sites of metastatic disease. Future translational approaches will rely on an ever increasing understanding of the biology of breast cancer subtypes and their metastases. These important concepts will be highlighted and elucidated in this manuscript.

[Using magnetic resonance imaging for staging can change the therapeutic management in patients with breast cancer]

OBJECTIVE

To compare two series of patients with breast cancer, one staged using preoperative MRI and the other staged using conventional techniques, analyzing the changes to treatment, the number of mastectomies, and the number of reinterventions due to involvement of the margins.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We reviewed 600 patients divided into 300 patients with preoperative MRI (series 1) and 300 without preoperative MRI (series 2). We recorded the following variables: age, menopausal status, tumor size on pathological examination, multiplicity and bilaterality, surgical treatment and type of treatment, the administration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and reintervention for involved margins. We used Student's t-test and the chi-square test to compare the variables between the two series.

RESULTS

The mean age of patients in the two series was similar (51.5 and 51.8 years, P=0.71). The mean size of the tumor was smaller in series 1 (16.9 mm vs 22.3 mm) (P<.001). More multiple tumors were detected in series 1 (28.7 vs 15.7%) (P<.001). The rate of mastectomies was lower in series 1 (25 vs 48%) (P<.001). Oncoplastic and bilateral surgeries were performed only in series 1. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was administered more often in series 1 (30.7 vs 9.3%) (P<.001). The difference in the number of reinterventions for involved margins did not reach significance (7.2% in series 1 vs 3.2% in series 2) (P=.095).

CONCLUSION

When MRI was used for staging, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and oncoplastic surgery were used more often and the mastectomy rate decreased. Despite the increase in conservative surgery in patients staged with MRI, the number of reinterventions for involved margins did not increase, although there was a trend towards significance.

Yield of Selective Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Preoperative Workup of Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients Planned for Breast Conserving Surgery

The role of routine preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients planned for breast conserving surgery is presently being debated. In our medical center we practice selective use of preoperative MRI; we sought to examine the yield of MRI in this highly selected group of patients. A retrospective study of all newly diagnosed breast cancer patients presenting between January 2007 and July 2010 to the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Tel Aviv, Israel) was completed. Patients planned for breast conserving surgery who underwent preoperative MRI were included in this study. Patients and tumor characteristics, indication for MRI, findings on MRI, consequent workup, and impact on surgical treatment were recorded. Association between preoperative characteristics and yield of MRI was examined. During the study period, 105 patients that were candidates for breast conserving surgery underwent pre-operative evaluation with MRI. Use of breast MRI increased over time. Rates of mastectomy were stable throughout the study years. Dense mammogram was the most frequent (51, 68%) indication for MRI. Additional suspicious findings were found in 41 (39%) patients, prompting further workup including 36 biopsies in 25 patients, of which 22 (61%) were with cancer. These additional findings prompted a change in the surgical plan in a third of the patients. In most patients (92; 88%) clear margins were achieved. Limiting the use of MRI in the preoperative workup of breast cancer patients to a selected group of patients can increase the yield of MRI.

Nanoparticle delivery for metastatic breast cancer

Breast cancer represents a major ongoing public health problem as the most common non-cutaneous malignancy among U.S. women. While significant progress has been made in improving loco-regional treatments for breast cancer, relatively little progress has been made in diagnosing and treating patients with metastatic breast cancer. At present there are limited curative options for patients with breast cancer metastatic beyond regional nodes. Emerging nanotechnologies promise new approaches to early detection and treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Fulfilling the promise of nanotechnologies for patients with metastatic breast cancer will require delivery of nanomaterials to sites of metastatic disease. Future translational approaches will rely on an ever increasing understanding of the biology of breast cancer subtypes and their metastases. These important concepts will be highlighted and elucidated in this manuscript.

Preoperative breast MRI in the surgical treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ

Accurate determination of the size or extent of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) by imaging is uncertain, and incomplete resection of tumor results in involved margins in up to 81% of cases. This study examined the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for assessment of DCIS size, and evaluated the effect of preoperative breast MRI on achievement of tumor-free surgical margins after breast-conserving surgery (BCS). One-hundred and fifty-eight female patients with DCIS were identified from a prospective database: 60 patients (62 cases) had preoperative breast MRI, and 98 patients did not have MRI. The accuracy of tumor size assessed by MRI was determined by comparison with histopathologic size. All patients underwent BCS initially. The rate of involved margins after resection was compared in MRI and no-MRI groups. The overall correlation between MRI size and histopathologic size was high (p < 0.0001). MRI assessment of size was significantly more accurate when DCIS was high grade (p < 0.0001) or intermediate grade (p = 0.005) versus low grade (p = 0.187). The rate of tumor-involved margins was not significantly different in MRI and no-MRI groups (30.7% and 24.7%, respectively; p = 0.414). The rate of mastectomy was significantly higher in the MRI group than the no-MRI group (17.7% versus 4.1%; p = 0.004). These findings indicate that MRI can detect DCIS, especially when lesions are high or intermediate grade, but that MRI does not accurately predict the size of DCIS. In this study, MRI did not improve the surgeon's ability to achieve clear margins following BCS.

Role of science in the treatment of breast cancer when tumor multicentricity is present

During the past 100 years, there have been two major controversies with regard to the treatment of primary breast cancer. The first controversy, which occurred approximately 35 years ago, questioned the performance of radical mastectomy, as originally proposed by Halsted in the 1890s. That controversy was resolved by the use of laboratory and clinical research, hypothesis formulation, and evaluation of the efficacy of the latter through the conduct of randomized clinical trials. A second major controversy arose when magnetic resonance imaging began to detect the presence of tumor multicentricity in many breast cancer patients, resulting in a resurgence in mastectomy in women who could have been treated with breast-preserving surgery. Because the use of science resolved the first controversy, I investigated whether there was scientific evidence to justify the current reversion to mastectomy. Extensive examination of the vast amount of recent medical literature related to that subject, that is, individual articles, review articles, and reports from the use of clinical trials, demonstrated that many physicians are not familiar with the scientific method, and thus, were unable to present, in those articles, credible evidence to support mastectomy in the presence of tumor cell multicentricity. Aside from the randomized clinical trial conducted by the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project begun in 1976, which demonstrated no statistically significant difference in disease-free survival, distant disease-free survival, and overall survival between mastectomy and lumpectomy with or without radiation therapy, there has been no information in any of the few recently conducted studies involving multicentricity to justify the current resurgence in mastectomy.

Focused ultrasound surgery in oncology: overview and principles

Focused ultrasound surgery (FUS) is a noninvasive image-guided therapy and an alternative to surgical interventions. It presents an opportunity to revolutionize cancer therapy and to affect or change drug delivery of therapeutic agents in new focally targeted ways. In this article the background, principles, technical devices, and clinical cancer applications of image-guided FUS are reviewed.

Effect of Magnetic Resonance Imaging on Breast Conservation Therapy versus Mastectomy: A Review of the Literature

The utilization of MRI in the workup of breast cancer has played a controversial role in the surgical treatment of this disease. With the higher resolution of breast tissue afforded, additional lesions are being identified that often warrant additional procedures, subsequently affecting the decision to proceed with breast conservation therapy versus mastectomy. In this paper, a literature review is presented to help illuminate some of the benefits and pitfalls of employing MRI as a diagnostic tool in the care of breast cancer, while additionally providing insight into the management alterations this imaging modality can engender. Though further research is required in a randomized prospective form to fully answer this question, evidence for and against its use continues to mount, especially for select patient groups.

[Breast magnetic resonance imaging: state of the art and clinical applications]

Breast magnetic resonance imaging is a modality that is being progressively integrated into the breast radiologist's daily clinical practice. There is consensus on the minimal technical requirements that a breast MR exam should have in order to attain diagnostic quality. Diagnostic criteria are mainly based on the American College of Radiology's BI-RADS magnetic resonance imaging categories. Breast cancer staging is a main clinical application, but it is not universally accepted. Other applications are: response evaluation in patients treated with chemotherapy, screening in high-risk patients, cancer of unknown origin, assessment of a possible relapse and breast implant evaluation.

The utility of breast MRI in the management of breast cancer

Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used in the evaluation of breast cancer. The impact of this modality on patient management at a single institution is evaluated in this paper. A retrospective review was performed for 114 breast cancer patients who had breast MRI as part of their diagnostic evaluation. Clinical information, mammograms, breast ultrasounds and MRI scans were reviewed to determine whether the MRI findings led to a change in patient management. Outcomes as the result of breast MRI were stratified as favorable and unfavorable. Ninety-five patients who had complete clinical, radiologic, and pathologic data were identified. The indications for breast MRI included: high risk screening (n = 3), diagnostic evaluation of disease after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (n = 24) or prior to re-excision (n = 8), extent of in situ ductal, infiltrating ductal or infiltrating lobular disease histology (DCIS n = 3, IDC n = 24, ILC n = 17), identification of unknown primary (n = 2), assessment of contralateral breast (n = 4), recurrence surveillance (n = 5), and other (n = 5). MRI was concordant with clinical findings and other modalities in 70.5% of cases. MRI altered planned clinical management in 28 of 95 patients (29.5%). Management changes were favorable in 21 patients (75%). Diagnostic evaluation of the breast by MRI alters patient management in 30% of cases depending upon the indications. Alteration in patient management is favorable in 75% of cases. Evaluation of the breast by MRI alters the clinical management of nearly one-third of patients. Changes are favorable for the majority of these cases. Patients undergoing evaluation for contralateral disease, invasive lobular carcinoma and assessment of chemotherapeutic response may derive a more meaningful benefit from MRI.

The impact of breast MRI on surgical decision-making: are patients at risk for mastectomy?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The goal of the current study was to determine whether MRI impacts multidisciplinary treatment planning and if it leads to increased mastectomy rates.

METHODS

A retrospective review was conducted of 441 patients treated for breast cancer between January 2005 and May 2008 who underwent breast MRI. Data included number of additional findings and their imaging and pathologic work-up. This was analyzed to determine impact of MRI on treatment planning.

RESULTS

Of 441 patients, 45% had > or =1 additional finding on MRI. Of 410 patients with complete records, 29% had changes in the treatment plan, including 36 patients who were initially considered for breast conservation but proceeded directly to mastectomy based on MRI findings of suspected multicentricity. Twenty-three of those patients did not have a biopsy of the MRI lesion, with 87% having unicentric disease on final pathology. Overall, the mastectomy rate was 44%, which was significantly increased compared to patients not undergoing MRI (32%, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Breast MRI alters the treatment planning for many patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer. Mastectomy rates are increased when MRI results alone direct surgical planning. Biopsy of MRI-identified lesions should be performed to avoid over-treatment.

Surgeon recommendations and receipt of mastectomy for treatment of breast cancer

CONTEXT

There is concern that mastectomy is overused in the United States.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the association of patient-reported initial recommendations by surgeons and those given when a second opinion was sought with receipt of initial mastectomy; and to assess the use of mastectomy after attempted breast-conserving surgery (BCS).

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS

A survey of women aged 20 to 79 years with intraductal or stage I and II breast cancer diagnosed between June 2005 and February 2007 and reported to the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registries for the metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, California, and Detroit, Michigan. Patients were identified using rapid case ascertainment, and Latinas and blacks were oversampled. Of 3133 patients sent surveys, 2290 responded (73.1%). A mailed survey was completed by 96.5% of respondents and 3.5% completed a telephone survey. The final sample included 1984 female patients (502 Latinas, 529 blacks, and 953 non-Hispanic white or other).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The rate of initial mastectomy and the perceived reason for its use (surgeon recommendation, patient driven, medical contraindication) and the rate of mastectomy after attempted BCS.

RESULTS

Of the 1984 patients, 1468 had BCS as an initial surgical therapy (75.4%) and 460 had initial mastectomy, including 13.4% following surgeon recommendation and 8.8% based on patient preference. Approximately 20% of patients (n = 378) sought a second opinion; this was more common for those patients advised by their initial surgeon to undergo mastectomy (33.4%) than for those advised to have BCS (15.6%) or for those not receiving a recommendation for one procedure over another (21.2%) (P < .001). Discordance in treatment recommendations between surgeons occurred in 12.1% (n = 43) of second opinions and did not differ on the basis of patient race/ethnicity, education, or geographic site. Among the 1459 women for whom BCS was attempted, additional surgery was required in 37.9% of patients, including 358 with reexcision (26.0%) and 167 with mastectomy (11.9%). Mastectomy was most common in patients with stage II cancer (P < .001).

CONCLUSION

Breast-conserving surgery was recommended by surgeons and attempted in the majority of patients evaluated, with surgeon recommendation, patient decision, and failure of BCS all contributing to the mastectomy rate.

Increased Use of MRI for Breast Cancer Surveillance and Staging is Not Associated with Increased Rate of Mastectomy

The use of MRI in preoperative staging of breast cancer has escalated recently. Breast MRI has greater sensitivity than mammography, ultrasound, and clinical examination in cancer detection. Because of its variable specificity, however, there has been concern that increased MRI use will result in increased rates of mastectomy for early-stage breast cancer. We postulated that mastectomy rates are not affected by trends in MRI use. We performed a retrospective analysis of imaging tests ordered by surgeons at our breast center from 2003 to 2007. We also reviewed all breast cancer cases reported to the National Cancer Database from our institution during the same time period and categorized them as having been treated with mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery. From 2003 to 2007, the number of breast MRIs ordered annually by surgeons increased from 68 to 358. The rate of MRI use increased from 4.1 per every 100 patients seen to 5.7 and from 1.6 per every 100 new patients seen to 2.9. The percentage of women undergoing mastectomy for breast cancer remained unchanged during this 5-year interval. Therefore, although MRI use in breast cancer staging and surveillance has increased, mastectomy rates have not.

MRI-guided focused ultrasound surgery

MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) surgery is a noninvasive thermal ablation method that uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for target definition, treatment planning, and closed-loop control of energy deposition. Integrating FUS and MRI as a therapy delivery system allows us to localize, target, and monitor in real time, and thus to ablate targeted tissue without damaging normal structures. This precision makes MRgFUS an attractive alternative to surgical resection or radiation therapy of benign and malignant tumors. Already approved for the treatment of uterine fibroids, MRgFUS is in ongoing clinical trials for the treatment of breast, liver, prostate, and brain cancer and for the palliation of pain in bone metastasis. In addition to thermal ablation, FUS, with or without the use of microbubbles, can temporarily change vascular or cell membrane permeability and release or activate various compounds for targeted drug delivery or gene therapy. A disruptive technology, MRgFUS provides new therapeutic approaches and may cause major changes in patient management and several medical disciplines.

Association of routine pretreatment magnetic resonance imaging with time to surgery, mastectomy rate, and margin status

BACKGROUND

The benefit of breast MRI for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients is uncertain. This study characterizes those receiving MRI versus those who did not, and reports on their short-term surgical outcomes, including time to operation, margin status, and mastectomy rate.

STUDY DESIGN

All patients seen in a multidisciplinary breast cancer clinic from July 2004 to December 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were evaluated by a radiologist, a pathologist, and surgical, radiation, and medical oncologists.

RESULTS

Among 577 patients, 130 had pretreatment MRIs. MRI use increased from 2004 (referent, 13%) versus 2005 (24%, p=0.014) and 2006 (27%, p=0.002). Patients having MRIs were younger (52.5 versus 59.0 years, p < 0.001), but its use was not associated with preoperative chemotherapy, family history of breast or ovarian cancer, presentation, or tumor features. MRI was associated with a 22.4-day delay in pretreatment evaluation (p=0.011). Breast conserving therapy (BCT) was attempted in 320 of 419 patients with complete surgical data. The odds ratio for mastectomy, controlling for T size and stage, was 1.80 after MRI versus no MRI (p=0.024). Patients having MRIs did not have fewer positive margins at lumpectomy (21.6% MRI versus 13.8% no MRI, p=0.20), or conversions from BCT to mastectomy (9.8% MRI versus 5.9% no MRI, p=0.35).

CONCLUSIONS

Breast MRI use was not confined to any particular patient group. MRI use was not associated with improved margin status or BCT attempts, but was associated with a treatment delay and increased mastectomy rate. Without evidence of improved oncologic outcomes as a result, our study does not support the routine use of MRI to select patients or facilitate the performance of BCT.

Diagnostic breast magnetic resonance imaging and contralateral prophylactic mastectomy

BACKGROUND

Preoperative use of breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in women with breast cancer may increase rates of mastectomy. This study investigated relationships between breast MRI and therapeutic and contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) in women with breast cancer.

METHODS

A total of 3606 women diagnosed with stage 0-III breast cancer from 1998 through 2000 (n = 1743; early period) or from 2003 through 2005 (n = 1863; late period) were retrospectively identified. Patient demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained from our institution's tumor registry. MRI use in the diagnostic evaluation was obtained from a prospective radiology database. Rates of therapeutic mastectomy, CPM, and associations with breast MRI were compared between the two time periods by multiple logistic regressions controlling for disease stage, age, family history, and calendar year of diagnosis.

RESULTS

A total of 14.2% of women underwent MRI, 29.0% had mastectomy, and 5.3% had CPM. Use of breast MRI increased substantially between the two time periods (4.1% to 23.7%, P < 0.001). Mastectomy rates increased from 28% to 30% (P > 0.05). The rate of CPM increased by >50% from the early to late period (4.1% to 6.4%, P < 0.002). Women who underwent MRI were nearly twice as likely to have CPM (9.2 vs. 4.7%, P < 0.001). Multivariate models found MRI was associated with increased rates of CPM for women with stage I or II disease (odds ratio 2.04, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

MRI changes the surgical treatment of breast cancer among subsets of women diagnosed with breast cancer, suggesting there are hidden monetary and nonmonetary costs associated with its use.

Breast MR for the Evaluation of Occult Nipple Discharge

Pathologic nipple discharge often presents a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma for clinicians. We present two patients with pathologic nipple discharge in whom breast MR facilitated preoperative identification of and management of otherwise occult index lesions. Breast MR should be considered in the toolbox for evaluation of occult nipple discharge when other available strategies have failed to demonstrate an underlying etiology for the pathologic discharge. The use of breast MR in this setting may permit directed evaluation and management of potentially malignant lesions.