Intraoperative measurement of breast-conserving surgery margins: surgical application

Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) is an effective treatment for early-stage cancer, provided that there is "no ink on tumor" reported in the excised breast specimen. However, approximately 15-35% of patients require additional surgery due to the presence of malignant cells at the surgical margin. In this review, we examine the available data on margin status in breast cancer and compare the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches in BCS margin evaluation. Of note, there are numerous concerns regarding traditional methods for assessing margins, and emerging technological approaches are gaining attention. The use of new imaging devices and molecular probes for surgical navigation represents a significant research direction for the future. Ultimately, collaboration between scientists from various fields is essential in reducing positive rates at breast-conserving margins and improving re-excision rates with associated poor outcomes, and ultimately decreasing recurrence.