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Could your current biopsy option have a shock in store?

Current biopsy standards are still associated with false negatives and the need for re-biopsy, despite the importance of identifying dangerous malignancies the first time.^1-4

Vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) and tissue markers Vacuum-assisted excision (VAE)

The impact of false negatives on patients

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Can cause treatment delays and put patients at risk of progression^2,3,5

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Can lead to substantial patient anxiety^6-9

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Compromises patient-doctor trust and communication^6,8

How vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) can mitigate risks and limitations associated with core needle biopsy (CNB)

VAB uses a larger needle (8-11 gauge) than CNB to obtain larger tissue samples, thereby improving diagnostic sensitivity.¹⁰

In a 2023 study, the VAB procedure showed better overall diagnostic performance than CNB (VAB vs. CNB: 94.8% [691/730] vs. 91.1% [667/732]), p=0.009.¹¹

Several studies have demonstrated a significantly lower rate of re-biopsy with VAB than CNB,^12-14 possibly owing to the ability to remove the whole lesion. With re-biopsy rates reported as:

Bar chart showing re-biopsy rates with core needle biopsy (CNB) compared with vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) across three studies. Rates of re biopsy were higher for CNB than VAB.

Study 1: 9.0% for VAB vs. 14.9% for CNB
Study 2: 2.5% for VAB vs. 11.3% for CNB
Study 3: 3.5% for VAB vs. 6% for CNB

Breast tissue sample being placed on a microscope slide using forceps

When you want to give your patients the right diagnosis the first time, VAB should be your go-to choice. Innovative approaches like VAB can help you maximise your chances of achieving reliable results for your patients the first time, by enhancing accuracy and reducing the risk of false negatives and re-biopsies compared with CNB^11,12,15

The benefits of VAB

A single insertion lets you obtain enough tissue for more accurate diagnosis than CNB⁹

Accurate testing saves you and your patients time through efficient workflows and an uninterrupted treatment journey^2,3,5,9

Particularly useful for difficult-to-reach lesions like micro calcifications or those near the nipple, thoracic wall, skin or axillary region^9,15

Allows for complete removal of certain lesions⁹

Learn more about the benefits of VAB

See how VAB maximises accuracy in breast biopsy results

Watch Dr Jonathan James discuss advantages and disadvantages of VAB.

Explore how VAB is carried out in practice

Step-by-step guide to VAB, as a technique for percutaneous excision of intraductal lesions.

Ensure consistency of care with breast tissue markers

Performing biopsies without markers can lead to unnecessary procedures, challenges in monitoring, and compromised treatment planning down the line.^16-18

Prevent re-biopsy of benign tumours¹⁹

Evaluate a tumor's size¹⁹

Differentiate lesions¹⁹

Increase precision during surgery¹⁹

Improve long-term care & follow-up clarity^16-19

Demonstration of breast tissue marker application.

Watch Dr Shadi Aminololama discuss the benefits of clip placemet.

Use breast tissue markers together with VAB to give your patients the greatest possible chance of avoiding unnecessary anxiety and delays in the breast biopsy process.^9,12,16-19

Invest in VAB and breast tissue markers to protect against costs of repeat procedures.

While there is an increased upfront cost to VAB and breast tissue markers, their use may save time and money in the long term due to consistent avoidance of repeat procedures.^{2,9,12,13,16-19,20,21}

A retrospective study of 1443 ultrasound-guided diagnostic breast biopsies showed that significantly more patients who had CNB vs. VAB requested further surgical removal of a benign finding (7.5% vs. 1.2%; p<0.001).¹³

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Ultrasound-guided VAB has a lower mean cost per cancer diagnosis than 14-gauge spring-loaded CNB.²²

VAB's economic costs are 82% lower than a surgical biopsy.^20,21

The time spent by patients undergoing VAB was 71% lower than the time spent undergoing diagnostic surgery.^20,21

The tools, support and partnership you need to enhance your care

By partnering with us, you can benefit from continual innovation and ensure your care stays at the forefront of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

It's all part of our commitment to provide the training and support you need to incorporate VAB and breast tissue markers into your clinical workstream with confidence.

Learn more about our VAB and breast tissue marker products

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