Breast Cancer Screening Research Reveals Promising Results for Non-invasive Localization Techniques

Strategic Insights -

Researchers from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland conducted a retrospective comparative study of patients who underwent wide local excision for breast cancer from 2020 to 2023. The study aimed to evaluate the utility of tag localization in the management of benign lesions compared to wire-guided localization. The results showed that tag localization was associated with a significantly lower rate of positive margins compared to wire-guided localization. Furthermore, the study found that tag localization was more effective in reducing re-excision rates. The research concluded that further studies may elucidate the possible benefits of tag localization in select patients.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study involved 680 patients who underwent wide local excision for breast cancer between 2020 and 2023.
  • 123 patients (18.1%) underwent tag localization, while 298 (43.8%) underwent ultrasound-guided wire localization and 259 (38.1%) underwent mammogram-guided wire localization.
  • Tag localization was associated with a significantly lower rate of positive margins (p = 0.01) compared to wire-guided localization.
  • Tag localization reduced re-excision rates compared to wire-guided localization.
  • The study suggests that tag localization may have potential benefits in select patients, although further research is needed to elucidate these benefits.
  • The study found that tag localization was associated with a 45.6% reduction in positive margins compared to wire-guided localization.
  • The study involved a total of 680 patients, with 123 (18.1%) undergoing tag localization.
  • The study was conducted at a single institution in Ireland between 2020 and 2023.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Reports Findings in Breast Cancer Screening [Wire-guided localisation vs HOLOGIC® LOCalizer[TM] radiofrequency identification (RFID) tag localisation of non-palpable breast lesions; a comparative analysis ...]. Journal of Engineering. May 26, 2025; p 2694.
  • The Surgeon, 2025.