In:
Tumori Journal, SAGE Publications, Vol. 101, No. 1 ( 2015-01), p. 78-83
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to identify a subgroup of breast cancer patients in whom it is possible to avoid axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) when the sentinel lymph node (SLN) is positive. Methods A series of 292 patients treated with breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy underwent ALND after positive SLN detection. To correlate SLN metastasis with the chances of finding additional metastasis in non-SLNs we evaluated the main clinicopathological characteristics. No patients received adjuvant radiotherapy to the axillary region. Results Fifty-six patients (35.4%) with positive SLNs for macrometastases (n = 158) had additional metastases upon completion ALND compared with 7 patients (5.2%) with micrometastases in the SLN (n = 132). Cases with a higher number of positive axillary lymph nodes tended to have higher pT stage (p = 0.004). In multivariate analysis, pT was confirmed as an independent predictor of non-SLN metastases (OR = 2.40; 95% CI = 1.16-4.99). No patients with micrometastases in SLN and cancer 〈 10 mm had additional positive non-SLNs. Conclusions Our results, in agreement with the major published studies, suggest that ALND can be avoided in selected patients without the need for additional treatment to the axillary region.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0300-8916
,
2038-2529
Language:
English
Publisher:
SAGE Publications
Publication Date:
2015
detail.hit.zdb_id:
280962-X
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2267832-3