Sentinel Node Biopsy in Early Breast Cancer Patients with Palpable Axillary Node (original) (raw)

Sentinel node biopsy in breast cancer: results in a large series

Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas médicas e biológicas / Sociedade Brasileira de Biofísica ... [et al.], 2010

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is an appropriate method for the evaluation of axillary status in cases of early breast cancer. We report our experience in treating cases evaluated using SLNB. We analyzed a total of 1192 cases assessed by means of SLNB from July 1999 to December 2007. SLNB processing was successfully completed in 1154 cases with the use of blue dye or radiolabeled 99mTc-Dextran-500, or both. Of these 1154 patients, 857 were N0(i-) (no regional lymph node metastasis, negative immunohistochemistry, IHC), 96 were N0(i+) (no regional lymph node metastasis histologically, positive IHC, no IHC cluster greater than 0.2 mm) and 201 were N1mi (greater than 0.2 mm, none greater than 2.0 mm). Most of the tumors (70%) were invasive ductal carcinomas and tumors were staged as T1 in 770 patients (65%). A total of 274 patients underwent SLNB and axillary dissections up to April 2003. The inclusion criteria were tumor size equal to or less than 3 cm in diameter, no clinically pal...

Histopathologic examination of axillary sentinel lymph nodes in breast carcinoma patients

Journal of Surgical Oncology, 2004

The axillary sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has gained increasing popularity as a novel surgical approach for staging patients with breast carcinoma and for guiding the choice of adjuvant therapy with minimal morbidity. Patients with negative SLNB represent a subset of breast carcinoma patients with definitely better prognosis, because their pN0 status is based on a very thorough examination of the sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs), with a very low risk of missing even small micrometastatic deposits, as compared with routine examination of the 20 or 30 lymph nodes obtained by the traditional axillary clearing. The histopathologic examination of the SLNs may be performed after fixation and embedding in paraffin, or intraoperatively on frozen sections. Whatever is the preferred tracing technique and surgical procedure, the histopathologic examination of each SLN must be particularly accurate, to avoid a false-negative diagnosis. Unfortunately, because of the lack of standardised guidelines or protocols for SLN examination, different institutions still adopt their own working protocols, which differ substantially in the number of sections cut and examined, in the cutting intervals (ranging from 50 to more than 250 mm), and in the more or less extensive use of immunohistochemical assays for the detection of micrometastatic disease. Herein, a very stringent protocol for the examination of the axillary SLN is reported, which is applied either to frozen SLN for the intraoperative diagnosis, and to fixed and embedded SLN as well.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Early Breast Cancer: The Experience of the European Institute of Oncology in Special Clinical Scenarios

Breast Care, 2011

Hintergrund: Während der Lymphknotenstatus in der Axilla weiterhin einer der wichtigsten Prognosefaktoren beim Mammakarzinom ist, hat sich die Sentinel-Lymphknoten-Biopsie (sentinel lymph node biopsy, SLNB) zu einer der Hauptmethoden zur weitreichenden Reduktion der postoperativen Morbidität und Verbesserung der kurz-und langfristigen Lebensqualität entwickelt. Material und Methoden: Zwischen 1996 und 2010 wurden an unserer Institution 18 884 SLNBs bei Mammakarzinompatientinnen durchgeführt und damit die Validität und der positive Einfluss der Methode auf die Lebensqualität der Patienten bestätigt, obgleich Entscheidungsvorgänge zur adjuvanten Therapie stark von biologischen Eigenschaften des jeweiligen Tumors abhängig sind. Ergebnisse: Der vorliegende Artikel fasst publizierte Daten zusammen, die hauptsächlich an unserer Institution gesammelt wurden, unter Einbeziehung spezifischer klinischer Szenarien wie duktale intraepitheliale Neoplasien, intramammäre Sentinel-Knoten, multizentrische Mamma kar zinome, vorherige Brustoperationen, vorherige ästhetische Operationen an der Brust, zweite axilläre SLNB, schwangere Patientinnen, primäre Chemotherapie und männliche Patienten. Schlussfolgerungen: Wir sind der Überzeugung, dass SLNB die Standardmethode für das Axillastaging in praktisch allen klinischen Situationen ist, einschließlich derer, die in der Vergangenheit als Kontraindikationen für SLNB galten. Die einzige momentane Kontraindikation ist das Vorliegen von dokumentierten Axillametastasen.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer

Annals of Oncology, 2002

To evaluate the possibility and accuracy of this new diagnostic approach to the breast cancer disease in our centre. Since March 1999, every patient presenting with a cT1-T2 N0 breast carcinoma was scheduled for a sentinel lymph node search. An injection of Tc-99 labelled nanocolloïd with a dose of 1 mCu was injected either intramammary or intradermally. The patients have been divided into two groups: in group I, they received their injection intramammarily the day before the operation; because of several failures in identifying the sentinel lymph node (SLN), the protocol was modified, the patients receiving their injection the day of operation, intradermally (group II). Once a lymphoscintigraphy done, the SLN was identified at operation using a detection probe, after the primary tumour had been removed. A routine axillary dissection was then performed to remove the rest of the lymph nodes. All the nodes were then checked routinely for metastatic cells. The SLN was also screened by semi-serial slides and by immuno-assay. From March 1999 till March 2001, sixty patients presented consecutively with a T1 or T2 biopsy proven breast carcinoma with no clinical lymph nodes. They were all scheduled for a sentinel lymph node search according to the protocol. Mean tumour size was 9.9 mm (ranging from 4 to 23 mm). Fourteen patients (group I) received their injection intramammarily but we failed to identify the sentinel node in five patients (35%). The remaining forty-two patients (group II) received their injection intradermally. Sentinel nodes were then identified in forty-three patients (93%). Positive SLN were discovered in eleven cases by routine examination (13 positive nodes among 104 harvested sentinel nodes, i.e. 13%). Micro metastases were discovered in three other SLN by immunohistology. In total, 605 lymph nodes were evaluated through the axillary dissection, representing a mean number of 10.08 lymph nodes per patient. For four patients, positive lymph node were discovered in the axillary dissection while SLN were negative (6.6% of false negative). During this learning curve period, it appears that the method for screening the SLN is reliable, since the figures encountered are similar to those of the literature. By adding a perioperative blue dye injection, it might be possible to reduce the percentage of false negative results. It is difficult to assess, at present, the impact SLN could have on survival.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Breast Cancer: Current Controversies

The Breast Journal, 2006

■ Abstract: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has replaced the routine level I and II axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for women with clinically node-negative T1 and T2 breast cancer. Studies have shown that SLNB is highly predictive of axillary nodal status with a false-negative of rate less than 10%. Our purpose was to address some of the ongoing controversies about this procedure, including technical issues, use of preoperative lymphoscintigraphy, internal mammary lymph node biopsy, criteria for patient selection (in intraductal carcinoma?), its staging accuracy, and the clinical approach when a SLNB was found to be negative or positive on pathologic examination. After the revision of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system for breast cancer in 2002, the evaluation of internal mammary lymph nodes and determination of micrometastases by hematoxylineosin or by immunohistochemistry have become increasingly important in staging of patients. Recent guideline recommendations developed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Expert Panel in 2005 are also discussed. Long-term follow-up results of ongoing studies will provide more accurate assessment of the prognostic significance of SLNB and its value in the prevention of breast cancer-related morbidity in axillary staging compared to ALND.

Sentinel-Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer

2010

The concept of breast sentinel node biopsy is based on the assumption that a breast cancer that metastasizes through the lymphatics will initially reach one or a few nodes in the corresponding lymph basin. The status of this or these sentinel node(s) will predict the status of all the other nodes in the basin. The sentinel node can be found stained blue or as being radioactive by injecting blue dye or a radioactive tracer around the tumour. Scintigraphy may further help to localize the sentinel node. The feasibility of the method has been validated by several studies comparing the status of the sentinel node with the node status of the axilla revealed by subsequent axillary clearance. Detection rates of 66-100% and false-negative rates of 17 -0% have been reported. Before the method can be accepted for clinical use, a consensus concerning the accepted false-negative rate has to be reached and has to be shown in practice. From a theoretical point of view, a calculated false-negative risk rate of 2-3% can be accepted.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Efficacy in Breast Cancer: A 4-year Experience Report

Journal of Cancer Treatment and Research

Sentinel lymph node biopsy has been one of the most important advances in oncologic surgery, especially in breast cancer, since it decreases the high morbidity associated with radical axillary dissection, and allows treatment personalization. The staging of axillary nodes in breast cancer is fundamental as it is a prognostic indicator and determines the need for adjuvant therapy. Sentinel lymph node is detected by injecting a radioisotope and dye through the periareolar area that consequently travels through mammary glands to axillary lymph nodes. We conducted a retrospective study that included 57 women with a histopathological diagnosis of breast cancer, and underwent sentinel node biopsy. Transoperative pathology analysis reported metastases in 24% of the patients, requiring radical axillary dissection. Sensitivity was 97%, and specificity was 85%, reflecting high efficacy of the sentinel lymph node biopsy, and thus benefitting patients by decreasing morbidity. Sentinel node biopsy is the standard procedure for correct staging of patients with early breast cancer, and no clinical evidence of lymph node involvement. Further, it decreases morbidity in these patients by preventing radical axillary dissection, a previously standard approach, without compromising the diagnosis and hence, the prognosis of the patients. We demonstrated that with the correct technique for sentinel lymph node biopsy, the prognosis for patients is much better than for those patients that undergo radical axillary dissection.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer: A Clinical Review and Update

Journal of breast cancer, 2017

Sentinel lymph node biopsy has become a standard staging tool in the surgical management of breast cancer. The positive impact of sentinel lymph node biopsy on postoperative negative outcomes in breast cancer patients, without compromising the oncological outcomes, is its major advantage. It has evolved over the last few decades and has proven its utility beyond early breast cancer. Its applicability and efficacy in patients with clinically positive axilla who have had a complete clinical response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is being aggressively evaluated at present. This article discusses how sentinel lymph node biopsy has evolved and is becoming a useful tool in new clinical scenarios of breast cancer management.