New pilot program looks to improve breast cancer surgery in Calgary

Specialist say a new procedure for breast cancer patients can help streamline the process toward surgery in Calgary.

A new pilot project, which harnesses the power of magnets, is said to drastically improve breast cancer surgery in the province.

The Calgary Health Foundation and Alberta Cancer Foundation will be announcing $5.7 million in funding for the Sentimag Project on Monday morning.

It uses a magnetic seed about the size of a grain of rice, which is inserted at the tumour site to mark its location for doctors.

The new tech replaces traditional hook wires to mark tumours, which can be uncomfortable or get dislodged.

The Calgary Health Foundation says this allows for less urgent and complicated scheduling, fewer imaging appointments and invasive procedures.

Doctors can also map the lymph nodes while the patient is under anesthesia for the magseed procedure, eliminating the need for painful radioactive injections normally required to map them.

The oncologist leading the project, Dr. May Lynn Quan, hopes this pilot will show the benefits of magnetic markers, leading to its use across the province.

The goal is to eventually be able to leave a magseed at the time of biopsy, allowing patients to go directly to surgery or chemotherapy.

The funding announcement will take place at Foothills Medical Centre at 10 a.m.