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Breast cancer as a low-risk subgroup for PICC-port complications: A comparative analysis
Nicolas Beaufrère1, Mathieu Leconte1, Marion Warembourg2
1Vascular Access Unit, Hôpitaux du Léman, Thonon-les-Bains, France.
Background:
Peripherally inserted central catheter ports (PICC-ports) have recently emerged as an alternative to traditional chest ports for long-term vascular access in oncology patients. Large observational studies have reported low complication rates with these devices. Some evidence suggests that breast cancer patients may represent a particularly low-risk subgroup for PICC-port-related complications. However, confirmation in unselected real-world populations remains limited.
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective cohort study including all PICC-ports implanted in adult cancer patients at a tertiary hospital between November 2023 and October 2025. All devices were inserted by trained vascular access specialists according to the standardized SIP-port protocol. Data collected included demographics, cancer type, metastatic status, catheter dwell time, and adverse events. Serious adverse events (SAEs) were defined as complications requiring device removal. Outcomes were compared between breast cancer patients and patients with other malignancies. Follow-up was limited to 12 months.
Results:
A total of 295 PICC-ports were analyzed, including 83 in breast cancer patients and 212 in patients with other malignancies. Breast cancer patients were younger and had less metastatic disease. SAEs requiring device removal occurred significantly less frequently in breast cancer patients (1.2% vs 10.8%, p < 0.01). The incidence density of infection was 0 versus 0.24 per 1000 catheter-days, and symptomatic catheter-related thrombosis occurred at rates of 0.09 versus 0.20 per 1000 catheter-days, respectively. One-year device survival was significantly higher in breast cancer patients (98.8% vs 88%, p < 0.01).
Conclusion:
Breast cancer patients experienced significantly fewer PICC-port complications and demonstrated excellent device survival. These findings suggest that PICC-ports may be a particularly suitable first-line vascular access option for selected patients with breast cancer.
