A comparison of intra-operative margin management techniques in breast-conserving surgery: a standardised approach reduces the likelihood of residual disease without increasing operative time

Introduction Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) is established as a standard treatment option for women with early-stage invasive breast cancers. Margin status predicts local disease recurrence. Up to 59 % of patients may undergo re-excision of their tumour cavity to establish clear margins. Intra-operative margin assessment may decrease re-excision rates. It is unclear if this procedure increases operative time. We compared intra-operative macroscopic assessment of margins, routine cavity shave margins and no formal intra-operative margin assessment to assess their impact on re-excision rates, residual disease burden and operative time.