scholarly journals Axillary Dissection in Breast Cancer Patients with Metastatic Sentinel Node: To Do or Not to Do? Suggestions from Our Series

ISRN Oncology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Bortolini ◽  
F. Genta ◽  
Chiara Perono Biacchiardi ◽  
E. Zanon ◽  
M. Camanni ◽  
...  

Several studies have put to question and evaluated the indication and prognosis of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNLB) as sole treatment in human breast cancer. We reviewed 1588 patients who underwent axillary surgery. In 239 patients, axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) was performed following positive fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), and, in 299 cases, ALND was executed after positive SNLB. The most dramatic result from our data is that patients with either micrometastasis of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) or only metastatic SLN have, respectively, an 84.5% and a 75.0% chance of having no other nodal involvement. We believe a more refined patient selection is neccessary when considering ALND. Where the primary tumor is larger than 5 cm, where radio or adjuvant therapies are not indicated, in cases of FNAC+ nodes, and in cases presenting more than one metastatic sentinel node, we prefer to carry out ALND. Having thus said, however, our data suggests that it is wise not to perform ALND in almost all cases presenting positive SLNs.

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hazem Assi ◽  
Eman Sbaity ◽  
Mahmoud Abdelsalam ◽  
Ali Shamseddine

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) emerged in the 1990s as a new technique in the surgical management of the axilla for patients with early breast cancer, resulting in lower complication rates and better quality of life than axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Today SLNB is firmly established in the armamentarium of clinicians treating breast cancer, but several questions remain. The goal of this paper is to review recent work addressing 4 questions that have been the subject of debate in the use of SLNB in the past few years: (a) What is the implication of finding micrometastases in the sentinel nodes? (b) Is ALND necessary in all patients who have a positive SLNB? (c) How accurate is SLNB after neoadjuvant therapy? (d) Can SLNB be used to stage the axilla in locally recurrent breast cancer following breast surgery with or without prior axillary surgery?


2014 ◽  
Vol 138 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Goodman ◽  
Ashling O'Connor ◽  
Dina Kandil ◽  
Ashraf Khan

Context.—Axillary nodal status remains one of the most important prognostic indicators in the management of breast cancer. Axillary node metastases are seen in fewer than half of breast cancer cases, and axillary lymph node dissection is associated with significant morbidity. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has become the gold standard for axillary staging of breast cancer. Objective.—To present a detailed review of the existing studies on SLNB in relation to the various techniques, the pathologic evaluation of the sentinel node, and special situations that can involve SLNB. We discuss recent trials that have already had an influence on surgical and pathologic management of breast cancer. In this article, we also discuss our practice and experience at UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, Massachusetts, from a pathologic and surgical perspective. Data Sources.—Published articles from peer-reviewed journals in PubMed (US National Library of Medicine). Conclusions.—Sentinel node biopsy has become standard of care in the surgical management of breast cancer, and emerging data show that the survival benefits of axillary lymph node dissection may not be greater than sentinel node biopsy alone in patients with up to 2 positive sentinel nodes. Therefore, there have been recent changes to the role of intraoperative sentinel node evaluation, and an impact on overall breast cancer management.


Breast Care ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-59
Author(s):  
Nadja Taumberger ◽  
Birgit Pernthaler ◽  
Thomas Schwarz ◽  
Vesna Bjelic-Radisic ◽  
Gunda Pristauz ◽  
...  

Background: Sentinel lymph node biopsy has become a standard of care in the treatment of patients with early breast cancer, but clinical guidelines continue to be vague on details of the procedure. We were interested in the results of our 2-day protocol, which includes delayed lymphoscintigraphy at 18 h. Methods: We reviewed the results of preoperative lymphoscintigrams in patients undergoing surgery for breast cancer. Lymphoscintigraphy was performed 2 h after periareolar injection of 4 × 37 MBq 99mTc nanocolloid (early lymphoscintigraphy) and 18 h following injection (delayed lymphoscintigraphy). The early results were compared with the late results. Results: A total of 238 lymphoscintigraphies were performed in 232 patients (6 bilateral). At 2 h, ≥1 sentinel nodes were visualized in 154/238 (65%) cases; in 84 (35%), no sentinel node was visualized. Delayed lymphoscintigraphy visualized a sentinel node in 40 of 76 (53%) cases with no visualization at 2 h and failed to show a sentinel node in 36 (47%) of these cases (in 8 cases, no delayed lymphoscintigram was obtained). Conclusions: Delayed lymphoscintigraphy was useful in about 50% of the breast cancer patients in whom immediate scintigraphy failed to demonstrate a sentinel lymph node.


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