New Marker For Breast Cancer May Increase Surgical Accuracy

A new material is being developed that can mark the location of tumors to show their position using ultrasound imaging during an operation that may reduce the need for second surgeries in breast cancer patients. A team from the University of San Diego created these microscopic gas-filled spheres of silica which can be precisely injected into abnormal cells using a thin needle. Surgeons can then see the position of the silica micro-bubbles in three dimensions while operating, increasing the likelihood that all tumors are removed during the first surgery.

Currently, X-rays can be used to reveal calcium deposits associated with breast cancer in small tumors. However X-rays cannot be used during surgery, so guide wires are placed into tumors several hours before the operation, which can be uncomfortable for the patient. Also, radiologists have implanted radioactive seeds to mark tumors, however this only lasts a few hours and the large needle used can be extremely painful.

Because of these current flawed techniques, researches developed spheres of silica filled with perfluoropentane gas. These micro-bubbles can be seen for days and mark tumors of early stage breast cancer in a way that improves the chances of all of it being removed in the first operation. Researchers believe that the ultrasound waves burst the micro-bubbles, causing the gas to squirt out, and then the doppler ultrasound detects that movement. Also, even smaller, nano-scale micro-bubbles drain from a cancerous site and can be used to identify affected lymph nodes. These new techniques will also make the surgery more comfortable for the patient.

This article was of particular interest to me because my mom was recently diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer and is currently undergoing radiation. She went through one surgery but later was told she needed another to remove the remaining cancerous tumor. After seeing firsthand how painful and unsettling these surgeries are to everyone involved, reducing the need for additional surgeries would be beneficial. As a biomedical engineer, I am very interested in the research behind cancer treatments and eventually, a cure.

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/201734.php

Susan Brown of the University of California - San Diego

Aubrey Hildebrandt

VTPP 434 - 501