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Magnetic seed versus guidewire-based breast cancer localization with magnetic lymph node detection: cost-minimization
Eirini Pantiora1,2, Filipa Sampaio3, Allan Jazrawi4,5
1Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
The British Journal of Surgery
|December 1, 2025
Summary
Magnetic seeds offer comparable performance to guidewires for breast lesion localization, with improved efficiency and satisfaction. Health economic analysis shows magnetic seeds lead to cost containment, despite higher initial device cost.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Radiology
- Health Economics
Background:
- Magnetic seeds demonstrate comparable efficacy to traditional guidewires for breast lesion localization.
- Advantages include reduced procedure times, simplified logistics, and enhanced staff satisfaction.
- The higher cost of magnetic seeds necessitates a thorough health economic evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a health economic analysis comparing the costs of magnetic seeds versus guidewires for breast lesion localization.
- To evaluate the cost-effectiveness from a healthcare system perspective.
Main Methods:
- A pragmatic randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 426 patients with non-palpable breast cancer.
- Comparison of localization using magnetic seeds versus guidewires, with sentinel lymph node detection via superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles.
- Cost-minimization analysis using unadjusted and adjusted cost data.
Main Results:
- Unadjusted analysis showed no significant difference in incremental costs between magnetic seeds and guidewires.
- Adjusted analysis revealed magnetic seeds were associated with reduced costs (€391 less, P=0.002), a 11.1% reduction.
- Sensitivity analyses confirmed the direction of the outcome.
Conclusions:
- Magnetic seeds achieve incremental cost containment in breast lesion localization, offsetting higher device expenses.
- Shorter localization and operating times, along with process streamlining, contribute to cost savings.
- The findings support the economic viability of magnetic seeds in breast cancer care.
