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Do you request lumpectomy cavity markers to be placed at time of surgery to guide planning?

Do you find such markers such as biozorb to be more helpful than delineating the seroma and/or clips on CT? When is this useful? During all surgeries? Oncoplastic reductions? Is there concern that such device can negatively affect cosmesis either by altering breast architecture, affecting dosimetry or increasing the boost volume?
3 Answers
Mednet Member
Mednet Member
Radiation Oncology · Tri-Cities Cancer Center
Answered on

I worked with a surgeon who was hot to trot on using the Biozorb. However, I noted that it did not always fill and contour the cavity appropriately so ultimately, I felt it truly did not help and it is expensive. I prefer the old fashioned 6-8 clips to outline the cavity in 3D. The clips were also v...

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Mednet Member
Radiation Oncology · Rush University Medical Center
Answered on

A fixed marker may not fill an irregular cavity well. With increasing attention to oncoplastic approaches, a seroma and surgical changes on CT are no longer reliable. I prefer the 6 clips approach in all directions (except the anterior margin if at the dermis), but even that is not always perfect ba...

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Radiation Oncology · Varian Medical Systems/Allegheny health network
Answered on

In the era of CT based planning and excellent local control, it would be hard to justify routine use of this device to mark the boost area. The situation where the cavity is obliterated like oncoplastic surgery or where cavity is sometimes hard to define like dense breast tissue, there may be some r...

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