Breast cancer patients in the western Upper Peninsula no longer need to travel for one of the newest advances in tumor-removal surgery.

UP Health System – Portage, the 36-bed hospital at 500 Campus Drive in Hancock, has begun using the Magseed marker, a magnetic device smaller than a grain of rice that replaces the traditional wire localization method surgeons have long relied on to find tumors during lumpectomies.

The hospital announced the addition Friday, Aug. 21, according to WZMQ.

The seed measures 1 mm by 5 mm and can be placed directly into a tumor days, weeks or even months before surgery. During the procedure, a handheld probe detects the seed's magnetic signal and guides the surgeon to the exact tumor location. Once placed, the marker cannot be dislodged or damaged, according to the hospital.

Traditional wire localization requires a thin wire to be inserted into the breast on the morning of surgery. That wire can shift before the operation begins, sometimes causing discomfort and complicating the surgeon's work. Magseed eliminates that same-day step, which the hospital said results in shorter wait times and fewer pre-operative procedures for patients.

The marker can also be used in lymph node procedures for more advanced cancers, giving surgical teams more flexibility in planning.

CEO Ryan Heinonen said the technology keeps advanced surgical options available locally, calling it consistent with the hospital's mission of "making communities healthier."

Manufacturer Endomag reports the Magseed marker has been used in more than 500,000 localizations worldwide, with a 98% placement accuracy rate and a 99.8% retrieval rate, according to the company's product page.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer, with about 1 in 8 women diagnosed in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. From 2019 to 2023, about two-thirds of cases were diagnosed at a localized stage, when the cancer had not spread beyond the breast, and the five-year survival rate across all stages is 92%.

UPHS – Portage, the western U.P.'s only Level III Trauma Center, has served the region since 1896. The hospital also offers 3D mammography, breast ultrasound, ultrasound-guided biopsy, stereotactic breast biopsy, breast MRI and lymphoscintigraphy.

More information on breast health services is available at uphealthsystem.com/breast-health.