Mednet Logo

Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2014-05-10

Margins for breast-conserving surgery with whole-breast irradiation in stage I and II invasive breast cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology endorsement of the Society of Surgical Oncology/American Society for Radiation Oncology consensus guideline.

Abstract

Purpose

The Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO)/American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) guideline on surgical margins for breast-conserving surgery with whole-breast irradiation in stage I and II invasive breast cancer was considered for endorsement.

Methods

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has a policy and set of procedures for endorsing practice guidelines developed by other organizations. ASCO staff reviewed the SSO/ASTRO guideline for developmental rigor; an ASCO ad hoc review panel of experts reviewed the guideline content.

Results

The ASCO ad hoc guideline review panel concurred that the recommendations are clear, thorough, and based on the most relevant scientific evidence in this content area and that they present options acceptable to patients. According to the SSO/ASTRO guideline, the use of no ink on tumor (ie, no cancer cells adjacent to any inked edge/surface of specimen) as the standard for an adequate margin in invasive cancer in the era of multidisciplinary therapy is associated with low rates of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence and has the potential to decrease re-excision rates, improve cosmetic outcomes, and decrease health care costs.

Conclusion

The ASCO review panel endorses the SSO/ASTRO recommendations with qualifications, as follows. The panel reinforces and amplifies the guideline authors' call for the monitoring of outcomes of the guideline at the institutional level, as institutions transition to adopting the SSO/ASTRO recommendations; would place greater emphasis on the importance of postlumpectomy mammography for cases involving microcalcifications; and calls for flexibility in the application of the guideline in light of the generally weak evidence supporting the recommendations.

Related Questions

What resection margins are required for DCIS with a component of invasive disease?

3
5 Answers

Mednet Member
Mednet Member
Radiation Oncology · Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

The SSO-ASTRO-ASCO guidelines of 2016 on margin status for patients with tumors that are pure DCIS or predominantly DCIS requiring a minimum of 2 mm for those receiving RT were based on a meta-analysis of (mostly older) published studies, not individual patient data. Three much more recent studies f...

How does a close DCIS margin factor into surgical and radiation decision making for Stage I invasive ductal carcinoma after breast conserving surgery?

6
1 Answers

Mednet Member
Mednet Member
Radiation Oncology · Varian Medical Systems/Allegheny health network

Based on SSO and ASTRO guidelines for invasive tumor, no tumor at inked margin is considered negative by us for suitability for adjuvant RT. If there was calcification as part of the mammographic finding, then for close DCIS we would look at the specimen radiograph and also consider pre-RT mammogra...

What total dose do you use for a close and positive breast cancer margin that cannot be re-excised?

11
3 Answers

Mednet Member
Mednet Member
Radiation Oncology · Varian Medical Systems/Allegheny health network

Based on consensus guidelines, there is no such thing as a close margin as HR for recurrence did not change based on margin width. That was the reason for group to conclude that no tumor at inked margin is a negative margin (except for pure DCIS or those who had neoadjuvant chemo).If we give a boost...