An interventional study of Endoscopy-assisted breast-conserving surgery (SRRSHzb-EABCS) and Conventional open breast-conserving surgery (CBCS) in Breast Cancer, sponsored by Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital. Recruiting at 22 sites in China. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 70 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-09.
Sponsored by Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This multicenter, open-label, prospective, randomized controlled study compares a novel endoscopy-assisted breast-conserving surgery technique (SRRSHzb-EABCS) with conventional open breast-conserving surgery (CBCS) in women with breast cancer who wish to preserve their breast.
Breast-conserving surgery followed by radiotherapy is a standard treatment for early-stage breast cancer. Conventional open surgery leaves visible scars on the breast, while traditional endoscopy-assisted techniques are time-consuming, difficult to learn, and costly. The investigators developed a novel technique, SRRSHzb-EABCS, which uses a gasless expansion-traction endoscopic system with a custom-built skin flap dissector and V-shaped retractor, together with percutaneous U-shaped metal wires placed around the marked tumor margin, enabling precise tumor localization and margin control through a single axillary incision. The technique is designed to be easier to learn, shorter in operative time, less expensive, and more cosmetic.
Eligible participants are randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to undergo either SRRSHzb-EABCS or conventional open breast-conserving surgery. The main goal of the study is to compare the intraoperative and postoperative positive margin rates between the two techniques. The study also compares aesthetic outcomes measured by BREAST-Q scores at 1 and 18 months after surgery, complication rates, and 5-year local recurrence, disease-free survival, and overall survival.
A total of 422 participants (211 per arm) will be enrolled at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, and multiple participating centers in China. Participants are followed at 1 month and 18 months after surgery, with long-term follow-up for up to 5 years.
Study Design: This is a multicenter, open-label, prospective, randomized controlled trial led by Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, with multiple participating centers in China.
Randomization: Eligible female patients with breast cancer who meet the inclusion criteria and sign informed consent are randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the experimental group (SRRSHzb-EABCS) or the control group (conventional open breast-conserving surgery) one day before surgery. The randomization sequence is generated centrally by computer (ResMan system) with stratification by center.
Experimental intervention (SRRSHzb-EABCS): The procedure uses a gasless "expansion-traction" endoscopic system with two custom-built instruments (a skin flap dissector and a V-shaped retractor) and a metal wire-based system for tumor localization and margin control (Lu Y, et al. Laparoscopic, Endoscopic and Robotic Surgery, 2026; doi: 10.1016/j.lers.2026.08.004). Under general anesthesia, the patient is positioned supine with the affected arm abducted at 60-75 degrees and the ipsilateral shoulder elevated. A single 3.0-4.5 cm curvilinear incision is made in the axilla, limited to the triangular area bounded by the lateral border of the pectoralis major and the anterior border of the latissimus dorsi. Preoperative ultrasound delineates the tumor margin; a circular outline 1.5-2.0 cm from the tumor edge is marked on the skin and divided into eight equal segments to define cutting points, with four marking points positioned circumferentially between alternating pairs of cutting points. Sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection is performed through the axillary incision, and the retromammary space is then dissected endoscopically toward the tumor, with the upper blade of the V-shaped retractor used in traction mode to maintain a stable working space. Four circumferential U-shaped cutting wires (0.3 mm metal wire advanced via a 20G angiocatheter, with limbs insulated by sheaths) are placed percutaneously along the resection boundary, and two insulating marking wires are placed in a cross configuration posterior to the tumor within the retromammary space as visual guides; additional wires are used for large or irregularly shaped tumors. The subcutaneous flap is dissected with the custom-built skin flap dissector, and the V-shaped retractor is then repositioned in expansion mode with both blades spread apart to maintain the superficial working space. The ends of each U-shaped wire are connected to an electrocautery pencil; under endoscopic vision, the wire is lifted vertically and activated, cutting precisely along the pre-determined resection plane ("hot-wire" cutting). The remaining parenchymal bridges are divided using standard laparoscopic instruments guided by the marking wires. The specimen is removed en bloc through the axillary incision, and all margins are assessed by intraoperative frozen section; positive margins undergo re-excision through the same incision, and repeatedly positive margins lead to mastectomy. The defect is reconstructed with a pedicled glandular flap using volume displacement oncoplastic technique, titanium clips are placed in the tumor bed, and the cavity is drained and closed.
Control intervention (conventional open breast-conserving surgery): Performed according to the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association guidelines for breast-conserving therapy, generally with separate breast and axillary incisions. The resection includes the tumor with surrounding breast tissue, with oncoplastic volume displacement or replacement techniques when needed. Specimen margins are marked and assessed (margin inking and/or intraoperative frozen section and imprint cytology), 4-6 titanium clips are placed in the tumor bed. If a margin is positive on intraoperative or postoperative pathology, local re-excision of the margin is performed, and if margins remain repeatedly positive, mastectomy is performed.
Axillary management in both groups: sentinel lymph node biopsy for clinically node-negative patients, with axillary lymph node dissection according to biopsy results; clinically node-positive patients undergo axillary lymph node dissection directly.
Pathology and adjuvant therapy: All specimens are examined by pathologists according to the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association breast cancer guidelines, and all margin results are recorded in the case report form. Postoperative adjuvant therapy is determined by the treating physician according to current guidelines and recorded.
Follow-up: Participants are followed at 1 month and 18 months after surgery to record complications and complete BREAST-Q assessments. Long-term follow-up for local recurrence, disease-free survival, and overall survival continues for 5 years after surgery.
Sample size: Based on pilot data from the lead center, the positive margin rate of SRRSHzb-EABCS was 25% compared with 15% for conventional open surgery. Using a non-inferiority margin of 10%, a one-sided alpha of 0.025, and 80% power, and accounting for a 5% dropout rate, 211 participants are required per arm (422 in total).
Safety monitoring: All intraoperative and postoperative complications (including wound infection, postoperative bleeding, seroma, and flap necrosis), their management, and outcomes are recorded in the case report form.
14,825 studies on the registry are indexed under Breast Neoplasms; 3,319 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 422 is above the median of 72 across 10,896 interventional studies indexed under Breast Neoplasms.
Browse Breast Neoplasms studies →Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital is the lead sponsor of 135 studies on the registry; 72 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
The diagnosis was confirmed by looking at a sample under a microscope: tissue from a biopsy or surgery (histology), or cells from a fluid or needle sample (cytology).
Your pathology report is the document that shows this.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Neoadjuvant treatment is given before the main treatment (usually surgery), often to shrink a tumour. Adjuvant treatment is given after it, to lower the chance of the cancer coming back.
Histologically or cytologically confirmed
The diagnosis was confirmed by looking at a sample under a microscope: tissue from a biopsy or surgery (histology), or cells from a fluid or needle sample (cytology).
Your pathology report is the document that shows this.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Adjuvant and neoadjuvant
Neoadjuvant treatment is given before the main treatment (usually surgery), often to shrink a tumour. Adjuvant treatment is given after it, to lower the chance of the cancer coming back.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants undergo the novel endoscopy-assisted breast-conserving surgery SRRSHzb-EABCS, which uses a gasless expansion-traction endoscopic system with two custom-built instruments (a skin flap dissector and a V-shaped retractor) and percutaneously placed U-shaped metal wires for tumor localization and margin control. Through a single 3.0-4.5 cm axillary incision, the retromammary space and subcutaneous flap are created, and each U-shaped cutting wire is connected to an electrocautery pencil and energized to cut precisely along the planned resection margin under endoscopic vision ("hot-wire" cutting). Specimen margins are assessed by intraoperative frozen section; if a margin is positive, local re-excision of the margin is performed, and if margins remain repeatedly positive, mastectomy is performed. The defect is reconstructed with a pedicled glandular flap using volume displacement oncoplastic technique.
Procedure: Endoscopy-assisted breast-conserving surgery (SRRSHzb-EABCS)
Participants undergo conventional open breast-conserving surgery performed according to the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association guidelines for breast-conserving therapy, generally through separate breast and axillary incisions. The resection includes the tumor with surrounding breast tissue; specimen margins are marked and assessed (margin inking and/or intraoperative frozen section and imprint cytology); 4-6 titanium clips are placed in the tumor bed; and oncoplastic volume displacement or replacement techniques are used when needed. If a margin is positive on intraoperative or postoperative pathology, local re-excision of the margin is performed, and if margins remain repeatedly positive, mastectomy is performed.
Procedure: Conventional open breast-conserving surgery (CBCS)
A novel gasless endoscopy-assisted breast-conserving surgery using an expansion-traction system (a skin flap dissector and a V-shaped retractor) and a metal wire-based tumor localization system. Through a single 3.0-4.5 cm axillary incision, the retromammary space is created endoscopically. The resection margin is marked 1.5-2.0 cm beyond the tumor edge; U-shaped cutting wires and marking wires are placed percutaneously. The flap is dissected while the V-shaped retractor maintains the working space. Each cutting wire is energized with an electrocautery pencil to cut along the planned margin ("hot-wire" cutting). Margins are assessed by frozen section; positive margins undergo local re-excision, and repeatedly positive margins lead to mastectomy. Axillary management: sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for clinically node-negative patients, with axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) performed according to biopsy results; clinically node-positive patients undergo ALND directly.
Conventional open breast-conserving surgery performed according to the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association guidelines for breast-conserving therapy. Generally, separate incisions are made on the breast and in the axilla. The resection includes the tumor together with a margin of surrounding breast tissue. Specimen margins are marked and assessed (inking and/or intraoperative frozen section). Four to six titanium clips are placed in the tumor bed for radiation boost localization. Oncoplastic volume displacement or volume replacement techniques are applied when needed. If a margin is positive on intraoperative or postoperative pathology, local re-excision of the margin is performed, and if margins remain repeatedly positive, mastectomy is performed. Axillary management: sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for clinically node-negative patients, with axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) performed according to biopsy results; clinically node-positive patients undergo ALND directly.
Intraoperative and Postoperative Positive Margin Rate
Proportion of participants with positive resection margins of the breast-conserving specimen, including the first and any subsequent positive margins on intraoperative frozen section assessment and the positive margin rate on postoperative routine paraffin pathology.
Time frame: Intraoperatively and up to 1 month after surgery (final pathology report)
Incidence of Intraoperative and Postoperative Complications
Incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications, including wound infection, postoperative bleeding, subcutaneous seroma, and flap necrosis, with their management and outcomes recorded. Complications are counted per participant (one participant with complications counts as one event).
Time frame: Intraoperatively and up to 1 month (±2 weeks) after surgery
Aesthetic Outcome and Quality of Life Assessed by BREAST-Q
Patient-reported aesthetic outcome (satisfaction with breast appearance) and quality of life, measured by the BREAST-Q questionnaire (Breast-Conserving Therapy module). BREAST-Q domain scores are transformed to a scale ranging from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate a better outcome (greater satisfaction and better quality of life).
Time frame: 1 month (±2 weeks) and 18 months (±3 months) after surgery
Local Recurrence Rate
Proportion of participants with ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (local recurrence) during follow-up.
Time frame: From the date of surgery up to 5 years (5-year assessment window: ±6 months)
Disease-Free Survival (DFS)
Time from surgery to the first occurrence of local recurrence, distant metastasis, or death from any cause, whichever occurs first.
Time frame: From the date of surgery up to 5 years (5-year assessment window: ±6 months)
Overall Survival (OS)
Time from surgery to death from any cause.
Time frame: From the date of surgery up to 5 years (5-year assessment window: ±6 months)
Plan to share: Yes — De-identified individual participant data will be made available upon reasonable request to qualified researchers, following approval by the principal investigator and the Ethics Committee of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, in compliance with applicable Chinese regulations on personal data protection.
Supporting information: Study protocol, Informed consent form
Time frame: Beginning 6 months after publication of the primary results and available for 5 years.
Access criteria: Researchers with a methodologically sound proposal may submit a request to the principal investigator (linbowang@zju.edu.cn). Access will be granted after ethics approval and execution of a data use agreement.
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