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Optimal oncological results and patient outcomes are achieved in surgery for early breast cancer with breast conserving surgery (BCS) where this is appropriate. A limitation of BCS occurs when cancer is present at, or close, to the resection margin – termed a 'positive' margin – and re-excision is recommended to reduce recurrence rate. This is occurs in 17% of BCS in the UK and there is therefore a critical need for a way to assess margin status intraoperatively to ensure complete excision with adequate margins at the first operation. This study presents the potential of high wavenumber (HWN) Raman spectroscopy to address this. Freshly excised specimens from thirty patients undergoing surgery for breast cancer were measured using a surface Raman probe, and a multivariate classification model to predict normal versus tumour was developed from the data. This model achieved 77.1% sensitivity and 90.8% specificity following leave one patient out cross validation, with the defining features being differences in water content and lipid versus protein content. This demonstrates the feasibility of HWN Raman spectroscopy to facilitate future intraoperative margin assessment at specific locations. Clinical utility of the approach will require further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raman spectroscopy is an analytical method that is non-invasive, non-destructive and provides chemical information to distinguish between breast micro-calcifications: Type I (benign) and Type II (malignant). B Methods: b Following Ethics approval (IRAS: 210732) and informed consent, wire-guided wide local excision breast specimens were X-rayed intra-operatively, followed by transmission Raman spectroscopy (TRS) measurements. [Extracted from the article]

B Introduction: b ABS, BAPRAS, and BAAPS published guidance on breast lipofilling in 2012. Approximately 1/3 of patients are discussed at OPMDT pre-procedure, however knowledge of current recommendations clearly influences decision making for all patients. [Extracted from the article]

B Background: b Breast angiosarcomas (AS) are rare tumours which may develop spontaneously (primary AS, (PAS)) or secondary to radiotherapy following breast cancer (secondary AS, (SAS)). The management speciality varied with 48.2% (n=80) managed by breast surgeons, 21.7% (n=36) by plastics, 15.7% (n=26) by sarcoma surgeons and 12.0% (n=20) by joint specialty led. B Conclusions: b Angiosarcomas are a rare tumour with a poor prognosis. [Extracted from the article]