Breast

The vast majority of breast cancers begin in the parts of the breast tissue that are made up of glands for milk production, called lobules, and ducts that connect the lobules to the nipple. Breast cancer is typically detected either during a screening examination, before symptoms have developed, or after a woman notices a lump. When cancer is suspected, microscopic analysis of breast tissue is necessary for a definitive diagnosis and to determine the extent of spread (in situ or invasive) and characterize the type of the disease. The tissue for microscopic analysis can be obtained via a needle or surgical biopsy.

The adoption of Breast Conservation Therapy (BCT) as the preferred method of treatment for many patients, and the recognition that the main objective of subsequent radiation therapy (after lumpectomy) is to ensure the eradication of any residual cancer cells and prevent irradiation and damage of adjacent healthy tissue, have brought with them the challenge of accurately and effectively marking the area (tumor bed) where the tumor was removed