Reducing the environmental impact of breast cancer surgery: a pilot study on sustainable practices in the operating room.

BACKGROUND

The environmental impact of climate change is unequivocal, and surgical practice, given its substantial carbon footprint, must also move toward sustainability. The primary aim of the study is to assess the environmental impact of surgical practice in breast cancer treatment and to identify interventions that can effectively reduce it. The secondary aim was to explore the feasibility and preliminary clinical performance of indocyanine green (ICG) compared with technetium-99m (99mTc) for sentinel lymph node mapping, within the context of a pilot project on sustainable surgical practices.

METHODS

At the Breast Surgery Clinic of Polyclinic San Martino IRCCS Hospital in Genoa, a prospective study was conducted from September 2024 to May 2025 to assess the effectiveness of a series of environmentally sustainable measures within the operating room. Thirty-four women diagnosed with HR-positive/HER2-negative, T1-T2, cN0 invasive breast cancer underwent quadrantectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). Seventeen patients were treated using a conventional high-impact surgical protocol, while the remaining 17 were treated with a green protocol based on the "5R rule" (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink, Research). Key strategies included the use of ICG for SLNB, local anesthesia with intravenous sedation, waste minimization, and the adoption of reusable surgical gowns, drapes, and instruments, along with the segregation of non-infectious plastic waste.

RESULTS

Sentinel lymph node identification was achieved in 100% of patients in the 99mTc group and in 94.1% of patients in the ICG group. The green approach was operationally feasible and associated with preliminary indicators of reduced environmental burden, although a full quantitative analysis was beyond the scope of this pilot study. Patients avoided preoperative hospitalization, radiotracer administration, and, importantly, 58.8% were discharged the same day.

CONCLUSIONS

Considering the pressing climate crisis, these findings highlight the feasibility and necessity of adopting sustainable practices in surgical oncology to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining high-quality patient care.