Connect
← Return to Can a pathologist determine during surgery if 0 margin is met?
Discussion
Can a pathologist determine during surgery if 0 margin is met?
Breast Cancer | Last Active: Dec 14, 2023 | Replies (20)Comment receiving replies
I have been and going to MDAnderson in Houston. Had a lumpectomy April 4. The pathology report did not come back for maybe a week? Margins were not clear missed it by like .5 mm or something( I’d have to look it up) I had second surgery April 21 and margins were clear. Never thought about pathology during surgery. That would have been wonderful, as the second surgery took me quite a while to feel good.
Replies to "I have been and going to MDAnderson in Houston. Had a lumpectomy April 4. The pathology..."
When I had the chest wall/pectoral muscle tumor removed, I was left with a positive margin in the muscle. Like you, just a tiny bit more would have left me with a clear margin. Why cut it sooooo close? And, good question, why didn't they check for clear margins during surgery? I was not at a teaching hospital or cancer center, but the hospital I was at is not rinky dink and is in the top 50 nationally. Hmmm. Definitely, a good question everyone should ask before surgery.
MDA does it. However, it's not foolproof.
My surgeon told me that the national average for not getting clear margins is ~20%.
MDA is at less than 10%, but still not perfect.
Connect
I'm glad your margins came back clear the second time. This will be my third and I hope they get it all. I just don't understand why some hospitals can get a path report during surgery and some can not.