Efficacy of intraoperative entire-circumferential frozen section analysis of lumpectomy margins during breast-conserving surgery for breast cancer.

BACKGROUND

Intraoperative frozen section analysis of the surgical margins during breast-conserving surgery (BCS) for breast cancer can reliably achieve clear surgical margins and prevent re-operations. The aim of this study was to assess intraoperative entire-circumferential frozen section analysis (IEFSA) of the lumpectomy margins during BCS.

METHODS

A total of 1029 patients who underwent BCS with IEFSA between June 2007 and July 2013 were available for assessment. The inner surfaces of the shaved lumpectomy margins were examined as frozen sections during BCS. The margins were defined as positive when the cancer cells were present within 5 mm from the edge of the outermost margins of the specimens.

RESULTS

Out of 1029 patients, 312 patients (30.3 %) had positive margins after the initial lumpectomy and underwent additional resections during BCS. Fourteen patients (1.4 %) underwent mastectomy following the results of additional resections during the first surgery. Of 1015 patients who completed BCS, 60 patients (5.9 %) were found to have positive margins in the final pathology. One patient (0.1 %) underwent re-operation after BCS while the residual diseases of the other 59 patients were judged to be minimal. Of the 312 patients who were judged to have positive margins after the initial lumpectomy with IEFSA, 53 patients (16.9 %) were found to have negative margins in the final pathology. At a median follow-up time of 54.1 months, one patient (0.1 %) had a recurrence of breast cancer in the preserved breast.

CONCLUSION

IEFSA is useful for preventing the need for re-operation and local recurrence after BCS.