Mapping breast tissue types by miniature radio-frequency near-field spectroscopy sensor in ex-vivo freshly excised specimens.

Background: Receiving real-time information on tissue properties while performing biopsy procedures has the potential of improving biopsy accuracy. The study goal was to test the ability of a miniature flexible Radio-Frequency (RF) sensor (Dune Medical Devices), designed to be mounted on the surface of surgical tools, in measuring and mapping the various breast tissue types and abnormalities in terms of electrical properties.

Methods: Between January and October 2012, 102 patients undergoing lumpectomy, open-biopsy or mastectomy, in 3 medical centers, were enrolled in this study.

Tissue specific DNA methylation in normal human breast epithelium and in breast cancer.

Cancer is a heterogeneous and tissue-specific disease. Thus, the tissue of origin reflects on the natural history of the disease and dictates the therapeutic approach. It is suggested that tissue differentiation, mediated mostly by epigenetic modifications, could guide tissue-specific susceptibility and protective mechanisms against cancer.

Indication for relumpectomy--a useful scoring system in cases of invasive breast cancer.

Background And Objectives: In two-thirds of breast cancer patients undergoing reoperation no residual tumor will be found. A scoring system for selection of patients who might benefit from relumpectomy is proposed.

Methods: This study is based on 293 patients with invasive breast cancer undergoing reoperation due to margins of <2 mm.

A similar cell-specific pattern of HOXA methylation in normal and in cancer tissues.

HOX genes are developmental genes that determine anterior-posterior embryonic pattern and govern the process of differentiation. Inappropriate expression of HOX genes has been implicated in developmental abnormalities and hematopoietic malignancies. In addition, HOX genes silencing by DNA methylation has been reported in cancers and related to disease aggressiveness and outcome.

Diagnostic performance of a novel device for real-time margin assessment in lumpectomy specimens.

Background: Margin status in breast lumpectomy procedures is a prognostic factor for local recurrence and the need to obtain clear margins is often a cause for repeated surgical procedures. A recently developed device for real-time intraoperative margin assessment (MarginProbe; Dune Medical Devices, Caesarea, Israel), was clinically tested. The work presented here looks at the diagnostic performance of the device.