0:00

So why do we do percutaneous biopsies

0:03

versus surgical biopsies?

0:06

It will definitely decrease the time to diagnosis.

0:09

Many times we can do the biopsies same day

0:12

or next day, versus the surgical biopsy requires a

0:15

consultation with a surgeon, pre-op testing,

0:18

and then getting on the OR schedule.

0:21

In general, percutaneous biopsies should decrease the total

0:25

number of surgical procedures for a patient, whether

0:28

or not the diagnosis is benign or malignant.

0:32

For example, if the diagnosis is benign,

0:34

the patient may never need surgery.

0:36

So the number of surgical procedures has gone

0:39

from one to zero.

0:42

If the diagnosis is malignancy,

0:45

then the surgery can be tailored specifically

0:49

for the best procedure for that patient.

0:52

So the excisional biopsies are a very different procedure

0:55

than lumpectomy.

0:57

So if diagnosis is known beforehand,

1:00

then the surgeon can tailor the exact correct

1:04

surgical procedure for that patient.

1:06

Knowing the diagnosis in advance allows the patient

1:10

and the surgeon to have discussions

1:11

regarding the different options

1:13

and the patient preference if there are different, uh,

1:16

equivalent options for the patient to choose between.

1:19

And some patients are actually diagnosed

1:21

with distant disease at the time of diagnosis,

1:25

and the core biopsy of the breast may be utilized to, uh,

1:29

identify the source of the cancer

1:31

and that patient may never need surgery.

1:34

So we've gone from any surgeries to zero.

1:37

So again, decreasing the total number

1:39

of surgical procedures, which are more invasive,

1:43

and, uh, do require anesthesia.

1:47

Core biopsies provide useful information whether

1:50

or not the diagnosis is benign or malignant.

1:53

If it is malignant, we can get receptors

1:56

and that has therapeutic and prognostic information upfront.

2:01

Some patients may actually get neoadjuvant chemotherapy

2:04

before they get surgery.

2:07

The, uh, core biopsy may show us whether

2:09

or not the cancer is invasive or in situ.

2:13

And in terms of benign findings, uh,

2:16

the core biopsy may show a high risk finding,

2:19

which would imply the patient needs imaging follow-up,

2:23

risk reduction medication and or supplemental imaging.

2:26

And then some patients with benign diagnoses still need

2:29

surgery.