NEW MARGINPROBE SYSTEM OPTIMIZES THE REMOVAL OF CANCER DURING BREAST LUMPECTOMY
MarginProbe yields instant assessment of cancer on the margin of excised tissue in cancer patients
Arlington, VA (May 14, 2013) – Virginia Hospital Center today announced that it is the first hospital in the Washington metropolitan area to offer the MarginProbe System, a revolutionary device which delivers real-time breast cancer margin assessment during surgery. This device helps surgeons make sure that all cancerous tissue is removed around a breast cancer site by assessing the electromagnetic response of healthy vs. cancerous tissue, allowing for an easy and instant assessment of cancer on the margin of excised tissue. This has been shown to reduce the likelihood of a second surgery by delivering clarity in the operating room. Virginia Hospital Center is among the first group of five hospitals in the country to get this technology.
“We are proud that Virginia Hospital Center is first in the region to offer this ground-breaking technology to our breast cancer patients undergoing breast conservation surgery,” said Dr. Stephanie Akbari, Medical Director of the Reinsch Pierce Family Center for Breast Health at Virginia Hospital Center and a breast surgery expert. “This unique device allows surgeons to detect cancer cells on the edge of the removed tissue while performing a lumpectomy, making it easier to excise additional tissue if necessary in the same procedure. We are utilizing the most accurate, effective cancer detection tools available.”
MarginProbe characterizes cancer cells by assessing the electromagnetic response of tissue. This allows the surgeon to capture the minute differences between healthy tissue and cancerous tissue at the time of surgery. If cancerous cells are found at the margins, the surgeon can excise the additional tissue during the initial surgery. In a 664-patient prospective, multi-center, randomized, double arm study, this device was shown to reduce the re-excision rate by 56%. Historically, between 30%-60% of women who undergo breast conservation surgery have to undergo additional surgeries because of an inability to achieve negative margins during the first surgery. This pivotal trial data showed that by using the MarginProbe System during the first operation, in conjunction with standard methods, surgeons have the ability to significantly reduce the rate of positive margins following the initial surgery. This will represent a potentially significant emotional, physical, and financial cost savings for every breast cancer patient undergoing breast conservation surgery.
About Virginia Hospital Center
For over 65 years, Virginia Hospital Center has provided exceptional medical services to the Washington metropolitan area. Virginia Hospital Center is a 342-bed, state-of-the-art facility offering comprehensive healthcare and multiple Centers of Excellence including Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery, the Reinsch Pierce Family Center for Breast Health, Neuroscience, Oncology, Total Joint Replacement (hip and knee), Women and Infant Health, Bariatric Surgery and Urology. One of America’s 100 Top Hospitals®, Virginia Hospital Center is a teaching hospital, long-associated with Georgetown University’s School of Medicine, and accredited by The Joint Commission and Licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Health. For additional information, please visit www.virginiahospitalcenter.com.