Volumetric analysis of breast cancer specimens in patients undergoing breast conserving surgery.

Background and purpose: Breast conserving surgery (BCS) leads to a statistically better quality of life when applied to self-perception of body image, future perspectives and less systemic effects compared to a mastectomy. Scaffold-guided breast tissue engineering (SGTE) is a promising technique currently being studied to address large volume defects from breast surgery. Ultimately scaffolds will be personalised in real time but currently, to meet necessary high regulatory standards, scaffolds must be individually ordered and manufactured for a specific patient in a process that takes up to 12 weeks. The solution for immediate reconstruction for breast cancer is to have off the shelf options. We aim to determine the most common dimensions of surgical breast specimens in women undergoing BCS. This information would allow for the prefabrication of scaffolds so that they are available for implantation at the time of the resection of the breast cancer. Methods: This is a retrospective study to determine the most common dimensions of breast cancer surgical specimens in women undergoing BCS during the period of 01/01/2012 and 31/12/2022 at the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital (RBWH). We will compare the size of tumours from imaging (mammogram, ultrasound, MRI) to the histopathologic size of the tumour. Results: This study is to determine the common dimensions of breast cancer specimens in BCS. In addition, an analysis on the concordance of the size reported in preoperative imaging and size on histopathology for the three most common subtypes of breast malignancy – invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) and ductal carcinoma (DCIS) will be performed. This will inform which pathologies are low risk for requiring re-excision and suitable for immediate reconstruction. Conclusions: SGTE would be a potential way to expand the extent of resection amenable to BCS and achieve good oncologic and aesthetic outcomes with the potential for prefabrication of scaffolds available for immediate reconstruction.