Take Control.
Thirty years ago, the primary treatment for breast cancer was a mastectomy. With advances in screening technology and increased awareness, breast cancer is being caught earlier than ever before. This gives you more control as a patient and opens new possibilities for treatment. In many cases, these possibilities include breast-conserving surgery. Breast-conserving surgery is an operation where the cancer is removed while conserving the surrounding breast tissue, leaving the breast looking as natural as possible.
BioZorb markers are bioabsorbable 3D markers that can be used in breast-conserving surgery and more. BioZorb markers may help your surgeon during the operation, your radiation oncologist after the operation, and your radiologist for the rest of your life.
Take control by understanding your options – find a BioZorb marker surgeon near you.
What is it?
The BioZorb marker is a radiographic, implantable marker used to mark soft tissue. It has a bioabsorbable spiral portion, made from polylactic acid with six embed titanium clips, both commonly used materials in medical devices. The spiral is reabsorbed naturally into the body, a process which usually takes several years, while the titanium clips remain in place.
This means, when a tumor or suspicious area of tissue is removed during a breast-conserving surgery or an excisional biopsy, a BioZorb marker can be inserted into the cavity from where the tissue was removed.
What does it do?
Once the BioZorb marker is sutured into place, the unique spiral shape will provide your breast with a temporary scaffolding as it naturally heals. So, as you’re healing, the BioZorb marker will be working to help potentially ensure consistency in the shape of your breasts. The goal is for the breasts to looks as close as possible to how they did prior to surgery.
After an extended period of time, depending on the patient, the marker will naturally absorb by a process called hydrolysis.
But BioZorb markers don’t stop there.
Even with the spiral absorbed, the six-titanium clips will remain, forever marking your surgery site and acting like a GPS, ensuring that your doctors have accurate and reliable data for any future procedures or check-ups.
Overall, the BioZorb marker may help with cosmetic outcomes as well as marking for future medical procedures, which might help to reduce your risk of recurrence.1
How might it help me?
Ladies, the results are in and they are good!
of patients rated BioZorb markers as providing Good/Excellent cosmesis in a 48-month prospective registry with 724 patients.2
of patients reported no complications with BioZorb markers in a large single site retrospective review of 1115 consecutive patients.5
of BioZorb marker patients had no post-operative infection in a prospective registry of 724 patients with a 4 year follow up.2
Who Might it Help?
Patients Eligible for Breast-Conserving Surgery
A diagnosis does not define you. You are incredible, strong, and in control of your future. You should know of all the options you have at your disposal to make the decision that is right for you. Just because you’re strong doesn’t mean you have to act alone. Ask your doctor about all of your options to learn if a BioZorb marker might be right for you.
Breast Surgeons
The innovative BioZorb markers were designed with the intention to help improve patient outcomes in breast-conserving surgery.
In a review of Breast Cancer Patients in a Private Setting, when comparing how often a medical facility opted for breast-conserving surgery before and after adopting BioZorb marker technology, the facility showed an increased utilization of breast-conserving surgery by up to 27.7%.5
BioZorb markers can help women who choose to undergo oncoplastic surgery, an approach to remove the targeted lesion combined with techniques to preserve the shape of the breast. The BioZorb marker acts as a scaffold for the surgeon, allowing them to recreate a more consistent contour. In a single site retrospective review of 1115 patients, BioZorb markers have also been shown to promote an increase in use of oncoplastic reconstruction.5
The Radiation Oncologist
When treating a patient with radiation, the radiation oncologist needs to be able to locate the site of surgery. This is where the six clips in the BioZorb marker come into play. These small markers, similar to ones that are often placed at the time of biopsy, will provide your radiation oncologist with a 3D view of the area in question. You can think of a BioZorb marker as a GPS for your Radiation Oncologist.
Six clips make a difference – in a prospective registry of 337 BioZorb marker using patients, 96% radiation oncologists perceived they had “improved accuracy” in setup & boost targeting.3
Potentially better precision for the radiation oncologist could mean more options and shorter radiation therapy treatments for women.
A 3-year analysis has shown that using BioZorb markers promoted a shift from conventional 6-week radiation therapy to 3-week hypofractioned radiation therapy.6
Every day of radiation therapy can be inconvenient given your busy life. Ask your doctors about the potential for hypofractioned radiation therapy and if it might be appropriate in your particular case.
The Radiologist
The Radiologist will be responsible for any future imaging studies after surgery to monitor for recurrence and any future breast disease. Marking the site of surgery may help them in their ongoing image reviews. The process of suturing the BioZorb marker into place may help avoid any clip migration7, which can happen with standard surgical clips, offering your radiologist a clear indication of your surgical site location.
But don’t just take our word for it...
“Imaging of 3D Bioabsorbable Implant provides consistent identification of Surgical Site for Ease of Long-term follow up.” 4
Kathy Schilling, MD, Presented at NCBC 28th Annual Interdisciplinary Breast Center Conference
Take Control. Know your options.
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References
1. Fisher B, et al. Twenty-Year Follow-up of a Randomized Trial Comparing Total Mastectomy, Lumpectomy, and Lumpectomy plus Irradiation for the Treatment of Invasive Breast Cancer. N Engl J Med 2002
2. Kaufman, et al. Favorable Outcomes with Oncoplastic Partial Breast Reconstruction Using BioZorb®: An Interim Registry Report on 662 Enrolled Patients. Poster presented at the American Society of Breast Surgeons 18th Annual Meeting, May 2-5, 2018.
3. Kaufman CS, et al. Registry Study of 337 Bio-Absorbable 3-D Implants Marking Lumpectomy Cavity Benefit Cosmesis While Targeting Radiation. Poster presented at the Society of Surgical Oncology Annual Cancer Conference March 15-17, 2017.
4. ‘Imaging of 3D Bioabsorbable Implant provides consistent identification of Surgical Site for Ease of Long-term follow up’. Kathy Schilling, MD (Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute)… Presented at NCBC 28th Annual Interdisciplinary Breast Center Conference [March 9-14, 2018 Las Vegas NV]
5. Cross MJ, et al. Impact of a 3D Bioabsorbable Implant on the Rate of Breast Conserving Surgery: Review of 1067 Breast Cancer Patients in the Private Practice Setting. Poster presented at the American Society of Breast Surgeons 17th Annual Meeting, April 27 – 30, 2017.
6. Cross MJ, et al. Impact of a Novel Bioabsorbable Implant on Radiation Treatment Planning for Breast Cancer. World J Surg. February 2017, Volume 41, Issue 2, pp 464–471.
7. Pirlamarla A, Ferro A, Yue NJ, et al. Optimization of surgical clip placement for breast-conservation therapy. Pract Radiat Oncol. 2014;4(3):153-159.