Archbold Medical Center| Archives Magazine | Fall 2019

ARCHBOLD.ORG • FALL 2019 21 STUDIES SHOW 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Because of the regular use of mammography screening, many breast cancers in the U.S. are found at an early stage. Those diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer might be eligible for breast-conserving therapy or lumpec- tomy, instead of a mastectomy. “A lumpectomy is a surgical proce- dure where only the cancer plus a rim of normal tissue is removed,” explained Cianna Pender, MD, general surgeon at South Georgia Surgical Associates. “This enables us to spare healthy tissue to achieve a more pleasing cosmetic result.” Breast-conserving surgery, or lumpectomy, requires localization Cancer surgerymade easier NEW TECHNOLOGY MEANS MORE COMFORT—AND BETTER RESULTS of the tumor prior to surgery for its removal. Typically this is done by wire localization. To localize the tumor, patients have another mammogram the morning of their surgery. Then a radiologist inserts a needle with a hooked wire into the breast. Once the wire is inserted through the tumor, the needle is removed. The wire stays in place, with one end connected to the tumor and the other end protruding from the skin. During surgery, the wire guides the surgeon to the tumor. The wire is removed once the surgeon removes the tumor. Bringing better technology to you In an effort to make localization more comfortable and convenient for patients, South Georgia Surgical Associates now offers a new, innovative technology to assist during breast-conserving surgery and the removal of cancerous tumors: SAVI SCOUT®, a radar localization tech- nology that eliminates the need for wire localization. “Wire localization of breast lumps can be uncomfortable for the patient and can lead to longer wait times the day of surgery, which can lead to increased patient anxiety,” said Dr. Pender. With the new technology, during the patient’s initial biopsy to diagnose the cancer, a small, non-radioactive reflector is placed in the breast that diminishes the need for an extra procedure the day of surgery. During surgery, the SAVI SCOUT® system emits infrared light and a micro-impulse signal to detect the reflector. The surgeon uses the infor- mation from the reflector to locate and remove the tumor within 1 millimeter of accuracy. Precision in locating a tumor during a lumpectomy aids the surgeon in locating and removing the target tissue, which may reduce the probability of additional surgery. “We are so excited to be able to offer this new technology,” said Dr. Pender. “This truly is life-changing for breast cancer patients. It eliminates the extra discomfort for patients and offers a more precise way for surgeons to locate and remove the tumor.” Cianna Pender, MD General Surgeon