The Role of Image-Guided Surgery in Improving Breast Cancer Outcomes

Breast cancer surgeries have greatly evolved overtime. These improvements have been possible due to advances in imaging and ablative therapies. “Imaging such as digital mammography, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission mammography (PEM) have all evolved breast cancer surgeries”. Breast cancer is a worldwide cancer that affects women. Cancer tissues appear in the chest that need to be removed or else the cancer will spread and take over the body.  

Image-Guided surgery has given an upper hand to surgeons all over the world. These imaging techniques enable doctors to detect abnormal breast tissue early—sometimes even before cancer has fully developed.Pegulicianine is a fluorescent imaging drug administered intravenously before surgery, used in conjunction with the Lumicell Direct Visualization System (DVS) or other approved devices following standard of care (SOC) lumpectomy. This combination allows surgeons to visualize cancerous tissues that may not be detectable by the human eye or traditional imaging techniques during surgery. This allows the doctors to remove the breast cancer tissue before it spreads.Pegulicianine fluoresces in the presence of cancer cells, offering real-time guidance during surgery. This allows surgeons to detect and remove residual cancerous tissue more effectively. This imaging technique is extremely crucial because it can decrease the spread of breast cancer and can be a solution to it which helps all women around the world. These studies aim to refine Breast cancer around the world. 

Overall, image-guided surgery is a big step forward in treating breast cancer because it helps doctors discover and remove cancer more accurately before and during surgery. Tools like imaging drugs and advanced cameras allow surgeons to spot cancer cells that you cannot see with the human eye. This means less cancer is left behind, lowering chances of it coming back. This technology gives women a better chance at recovery and helps save lives around the world.

Written by Malak Ibrahim at Incisionary

APA References

Acosta, H. A., & Lufschanowski, R. (2024). Pegulicianine: A game changer for image-guided breast cancer surgery. IJS Open, 8. https://journals.lww.com/ijsopen/fulltext/2024/08000/pegulicianine__a_game_changer_for_image_guided.30.aspx

Springer. (2009). Breast cancer surgery. In Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. https://link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/978-1-4419-0751-6_61(Note: No individual author listed — source is part of an encyclopedia published by Springer.)

(Image) Wang, C., Xue, X., Wu, X., Liu, Y., & Zhang, J. (2024). Recent advances in surgical techniques for breast cancer: A clinical perspective. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 13(3), 915. https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/13/3/915