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Open Access Original Article Issue
Breast Modular Resection Surgery Teaching Model Improves the Effect of Teaching Under Regional Anesthesia for Breast Conserving Surgery and Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Day Surgery
Health Care Science 2026, 5(5): 461-472
Published: 13 August 2026
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Background

Breast‐conserving surgery (BCS) combined with sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a standard treatment for early‐stage breast cancer. However, surgical variability and patient discomfort under regional anesthesia present challenges for training programs and consistent clinical outcomes. To address this, we implemented a breast modular resection (BMR) surgical teaching course designed to deconstruct BCS + SLNB into standardized modules and evaluated its impact on training effectiveness and patient outcomes in the day surgery setting under regional anesthesia.

Methods

A total of 273 patients underwent BCS with SLNB between 2019 and 2022, performed by six attending breast surgeons. Patients were divided into a classical procedure resection group (n = 124) and a BMR group (n = 149). All surgeries were performed under regional anesthesia. Clinical and subjective outcome indicators, such as re‐excision rate, pain scores, cosmetic satisfaction, and hospital stay, were analyzed.

Results

The BMR group showed significantly more favorable perioperative outcomes, including lower re‐excision rates (3.85% vs. 11.88%, p = 0.038), reduced intraoperative pain (p < 0.05), decreased seroma incidence (9.62% vs. 20.79%, p = 0.032), and enhanced breast symmetry satisfaction (p = 0.008). A substantially higher proportion of BMR patients were discharged on postoperative Day 1 (79.81% vs. 31.68%, p < 0.001), confirming the feasibility of safe, same‐day BCS + SLNB. There were no differences in long‐term complications or recurrence.

Conclusions

The BMR‐based teaching model improved surgical performance, standardized the technique, and enhanced the patient experience for BCS + SLNB under regional anesthesia. This structured modular approach provides a replaceable framework for surgical education and may facilitate broader adoption of day‐case breast cancer surgery without compromising oncologic safety or patient comfort.

Open Access Study Protocol Issue
Rationale and Trial Design of DAWNA‐FES Trial: Single‐Arm Phase Ⅱ Study of Endocrine Therapy With Dalpiciclib After Progression on CDK4/6 Inhibition Based on [18F]FES PET/CT in Patients With HR+/HER2− Advanced Breast Cancer
Cancer Innovation 2026, 5(3): e70058
Published: 30 April 2026
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Background

Cyclin‐dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors have become a cornerstone in the first‐line management of hormone receptor‐positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2‐negative (HR+/HER2−) advanced breast cancer. Despite their clinical efficacy, most patients eventually experience disease progression, and optimal treatment strategies following CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance remain unclear. Emerging evidence suggests that switching endocrine therapy (ET) while continuing cyclin inhibition may provide additional clinical benefit. Dalpiciclib, a selective CDK4/6 inhibitor, in combination with physician‐selected ET, represents a potential option in this setting. Concurrently, 16α‐[18F]fluoro‐17β‐estradiol ([18F]FES) PET/CT, a novel imaging modality targeting estrogen receptors (ER), enables non‐invasive, whole‐body assessment of ER expression in metastatic lesions, offering a personalized approach to treatment selection.

Methods

This is a prospective, single‐center, single‐arm Phase Ⅱ clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of dalpiciclib plus ET in HR+/HER2− advanced breast cancer patients who progressed on prior CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy. Forty eligible patients with confirmed metastases and at least one [18F]FES‐positive lesion will be enrolled. Participants will receive dalpiciclib combined with ET as determined by the treating physician. The primary endpoint is progression‐free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints include objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and overall survival (OS).

Discussion

Beyond evaluating efficacy, this single‐center phase Ⅱ trial will provide practical insight into the feasibility of [18F]FES PET/CT‐guided patient selection, including standardized imaging workflows and multidisciplinary implementation in routine clinical research. Positive outcomes may support a personalized, imaging‐guided strategy to prolong disease control after prior CDK4/6 inhibitor progression.

Ethical Approval and Trial Registration

Approved by the Ethics Committee of Peking Union Medical College Hospital (Approval number: K3629); registered at ClinicalTrials. gov (NCT05613270).

Open Access Original Article Issue
Binary and Ternary Classification Prediction for Breast Cancer and Breast Sclerosing Adenosis With Interpretable Artificial Intelligence From Clinical and Imaging Features: A Retrospective, Diagnostic Accuracy Cohort Study
Cancer Innovation 2026, 5(1): e70049
Published: 05 March 2026
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Background

Sclerosing adenosis (SA) and breast cancer (BC) often exhibit overlapping clinical, imaging, and pathological characteristics, making them difficult to differentiate. SA may also coexist with BC (SA + BC), including ductal carcinoma in situ (SA‐DCIS) and invasive breast cancer (SA‐IBC), which complicates diagnosis even when core‐needle biopsy (CNB) suggests SA. This study aimed to develop interpretable AI‐based binary and ternary classification models that leverage clinical and imaging features to distinguish SA‐only from SA + BC and to further differentiate among SA‐only, SA‐DCIS, and SA‐IBC.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 726 patients with SA (January 2006 to December 2021), comprising 537 SA‐only and 189 SA + BC cases (90 SA‐DCIS, 99 SA‐IBC). Multiple machine learning algorithms—logistic regression, support vector machine, decision tree, XGBoost, and random forest—were compared using AUC, accuracy, F1‐score, and C‐index. Model interpretability was assessed with SHAP to elucidate feature contributions and identify key predictors. Additionally, we incorporated an independent external validation cohort consisting of 113 patients to verify the model's effectiveness.

Results

XGBoost consistently outperformed other algorithms in both tasks. Eight features emerged as most informative: age, ultrasound BI‐RADS category, maximum and minimum ultrasound diameters, ultrasound margin characteristics, biopsy procedure, mammographic density, and microcalcifications. For binary classification (SA‐only vs. SA + BC), XGBoost achieved an AUC of 0.925, accuracy of 0.883, and C‐index of 0.844. For ternary classification (SA‐only, SA‐DCIS, SA‐IBC), the model achieved an AUC of 0.888, accuracy of 0.811, and C‐index of 0.813. Age, ultrasound BI‐RADS, and minimum lesion diameter were consistently top predictors. We further proposed a three‐tier interpretability framework (global, cohort‐level; local, subgroup‐level; and individual, case‐level) to facilitate clinical translation.

Conclusion

Given the substantial risk of coexisting of SA with DCIS or IBC, and the potential for CNB to underestimate disease due to limited sampling, lesions diagnosed as SA on CNB should be evaluated with additional modalities before determining the need for surgical excision. The proposed interpretable AI model enhances discrimination between SA‐only and SA with concomitant breast cancer (SA + BC), thereby supporting more informed clinical decision‐making in breast disease management.

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