Abstract PS1-21: Molecular fluorescence-guided surgery using Beva800 for the assessment of tumor margins during breast conserving surgery of patients with primary breast cancer (MARGIN-II)

Introduction: The goal of breast conserving surgery (BCS) for early breast cancer (EBC) is to remove the tumor in toto and preserving as much of the normal breast tissue as possible. In 20-50% of cases a re-excision is necessary because of involved margins. Repeat surgeries are not only a burden to patients physically but also psychologically and can delay recommended adjuvant therapies. Accurate determination of tumor margins during surgery is therefore a critical need. Breast cancer tissue produces significantly higher amounts of VEGF-A than healthy tissue. VEGF-A stimulates tumor angiogenesis and is therefore a target for molecular imaging techniques. The fluorescence imaging agent bevacizumab-IRDye800CW (Beva800) is a conjugate of bevacizumab and IRDye800CW and binds specifically to VEGF-A. Beva800 provides a potentially efficacious approach to imaging specimen and cavity margins during BCS. We are presenting a phase II study that combined Beva800 with the SurgVision Explorer Air camera for intraoperative margin assessment during BCS for EBC. Methods: MARGIN II is a multicenter open-label single arm prospective clinical trial aimed at evaluating Beva800 for assessment of tumor margins in women with EBC scheduled for BCS. The study was a within-patient comparison of positive tumor margin rates using BCS standard of care margin assessment compared to intraoperative assessment with 4.5 mg Beva800 and fluorescence imaging with the SurgVision Explorer Air camera. All patients received an i.-v. bolus injection of 4.5 mg of Beva800 three days before surgery. The fluorescent signal was visualized during surgery using NIR fluorescence imaging (700–1000 nm). Standard of care margin assessment was defined as visual inspection, palpation and, in cases of pre-operative wire marking, specimen sonography or mammography. Beva800 efficacy was determined as the number of patients in which a pathology-confirmed positive margin was identified by fluorescence-guided surgery using Beva800 but not by standard of care BCS. Results: 49 patients were included in 5 centers. 4 training cases were only included in the safety analysis, 45 patients were evaluable for the efficacy analysis. 8 patients (17.8%) had involved margins after standard of care BCS, 4 of which were detected by molecular fluorescence intraoperatively resulting in the reduction of patients with positive margins by 50% (95% CI: 15.7%, 84.3%). 4 patients (8.9%; 95% CI: 2.5%, 21.1%) needed a re-excision because of involved margins. In 27 patients (60.0%) the additional molecular fluorescence guided cavity shaving did not change the resection status from positive to negative (false positive). Adverse events were reported by 16 of 49 patients (32.7%), but only 3 (6.1%) were related to Beva800 (syncope, hot flush, hypertensive crisis). One patient experienced a treatment related SAE (hypertensive crisis). No anti-Beva800 antibodies were detected. Conclusion: In our analysis the rate of necessary second operations was reduced by 50% using Beva800 and the SurgVision Explorer Air camera. The safety analysis confirmed the positive safety profile of Beva800 found in previous studies. Molecular fluorescence-guided surgery may have the potential to change the practice of breast conserving surgery by reducing unnecessary re-excisions. Future studies will have to address the high false positive rates. Citation Format: Hans-Christian Kolberg, Carmen Röhm, Angrit Stachs, Florian Schütz, Jens-Uwe Blohmer, Sarah Wetzig, Steffi Hartmann, Jörg Heil, Markus Hahn. MOLECULAR FLUORESCENCE-GUIDED SURGERY USING BEVA800 FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF TUMOR MARGINS DURING BREAST CONSERVING SURGERY OF PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY BREAST CANCER (MARGIN-II) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-14-01.