Bracketed Lumpectomy: A Comparison of Radiofrequency Identification Tag Localization to Wire Localization

New localization devices including radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags are an alternative to wire localization given the benefits of localization prior to the day of surgery. We sought to compare bracketed lumpectomy with RFID tag with wire localization with regards to margin status and local recurrence.

This is a single center retrospective study of patients undergoing bracketed lumpectomy for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or invasive breast cancer with RFID tag or wire localization between January 2018 and July 2024. Bracketing distance, total lumpectomy volume, margin status, and oncologic outcomes were compared.

A total of 496 patients underwent bracketed lumpectomy, including 164 with RFID localization and 332 with wire localization, with a median follow-up of 33 months. The median bracketed distance between localization devices was similar between the wire localization group (30.4 mm³) and the RFID group (32.3 mm³, p = 0.181). Median lumpectomy volume was smaller in the wire group (84 cm³) compared with the RFID group (107 cm³, p = 0.004). Positive margin rates were not significantly different between the wire localization compared to the RFID tag group (p = 0.546). Total, local, and distant recurrence rates were comparable between the wire (4.2, 2.7, and 0.9%) and then RFID tag groups (4.3%, [p = 1.000], 3.0%, [p = 1.000], and 1.2%, [p = 0.667], respectively.

Our findings demonstrate equivalent positive margin, re-excision, and recurrence rates between wire and RFID tag bracketed localization techniques with observed increased median specimen volume with tag localization.