Sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: It remains controversial whether modified radical neck dissection (MRND) for patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma improves prognosis. However, it is highly probable that the incidence of local recurrence is reduced by lymph node dissection. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy (SLNB) for patients with melanoma and breast carcinoma has been validated as an accurate method for assessing lymph node status. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of SLNB for the evaluation of cervical lymph node status in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma. METHODS: After injection of methylene blue around the tumor in 22 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma, blue-stained lymph nodes were dissected as SLNs. After the SLNB, all patients also underwent subtotal thyroidectomy and MRND. SLNs and other lymph nodes were investigated with regard to their number, distribution, size, lymph node status, and ratio of metastatic area. RESULTS: There was concordance between the SLN findings and the regional lymph node status in 19 of 21 patients (90.5%; 7 patients had both positive SLN and regional lymph node results, and 12 patients had both negative SLN and regional lymph node results). Two patients had negative SLN results but, in the end, had positive nonsentinel lymph nodes (NSLNs). The overall reliability rate of SLNB was 86.3% (19 of 22 patients). The authors experienced no complications with the use of methylene blue for the detection of SLNs. CONCLUSIONS: SLNB using methylene blue is feasible technically and is safe, and the findings correlate with cervical lymph node status. Therefore, SLNB is a good technique for estimating the status of cervical lymph nodes in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.     

Sentinel lymph node biopsy using periareolar injection of radiocolloid for patients with neoadjuvant chemotherapy-treated breast carcinoma

BACKGROUND: The feasibility and accuracy of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for patients with breast carcinoma have been investigated primarily for the situation in which the radiocolloid imaging agent is injected peritumorally. No such study has involved periareolar injection of radiocolloid, although the usefulness of this injection technique has been demonstrated in patients with early-stage breast carcinoma who have not been treated with NAC. The objective of the current study was to determine the feasibility and accuracy of SLN biopsy using periareolar injection of radiocolloid for patients with breast carcinoma who were treated with NAC. METHODS: Forty-seven patients with AJCC Stage II or III breast carcinoma who were treated with NAC were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent SLN biopsy, which involved a combination of periareolar injection of radiocolloid (technetium 99m tin colloid) and peritumoral injection of isosulfan blue dye, followed by backup axillary lymph node dissection. SLN metastases were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemical analysis using an anticytokeratin antibody. RESULTS: An SLN was identified successfully in 44 patients (94%). Twenty-nine patients (66%) had positive SLNs. Fifteen patients had negative SLNs, and 4 patients had positive non-SLNs. Thus, the false-negative rate was 12.1% (4 of 33 patients). The false-negative rate tended to be higher, although not statistically significantly so, among patients who had clinically positive axillary lymph nodes before and/or after NAC (15.8%; 3 of 19 patients) compared with patients who had clinically negative axillary lymph nodes both before and after NAC (7.1%; 1 of 14 patients). CONCLUSIONS: SLN biopsy using periareolar injection of radiocolloid is feasible after NAC. In patients with clinically negative axillary lymph nodes both before and after NAC, SLN biopsy was capable of predicting axillary lymph node status with an accuracy comparable to the accuracy associated with SLN biopsy for patients with early-stage carcinoma who have not been treated with NAC.     

美蓝在乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检中的临床价值

目的探讨美蓝在乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检中的临床价值。方法将1%美蓝2ml注入活检腔外上方的皮下及乳腺组织内,然后行Auchincloss仿根治术,依淋巴管走向找到蓝染淋巴结定为SLN,若此时未找到待腋窝清扫结束后,再在标本中寻找,蓝染者为SLN,余为非SLN,分别送病理检查。结果前哨淋巴结检出率为87.9%(95/108),SLN预测腋窝状况的准确率为95.7%(91/95),假阴性率为6.5%(4/62),无假阳性者。未检出者13例,其中4例为假阴性,均属跳跃式转移。前哨淋巴结转移阳性率(34.6%,33/95)和阴性率(65.3%,62/95),与全腋淋巴结转移阳性率(39.8%,43/108)和阴性率(60.2%,65/108)比较,均无显著性差异(P>0.05)。结论美蓝前哨淋巴结活检可以准确预测乳腺癌患者的腋淋巴结状态。     

乳腺癌新辅助化疗后前哨淋巴结活检意义的前瞻性研究

目的:探讨乳腺癌患者新辅助化疗(NAC)后腋窝前哨淋巴结活检的可行性.方法:采用99Tc硫胶体联合亚甲蓝示踪法对60例NAC后达到临床腋淋巴结阴性的乳腺癌患者和60例临床腋淋巴结阴性的早期乳腺癌患者进行腋窝前哨淋巴结活检术(SLNB),评估SLNB的检出率和准确性,比较两组患者SLNB的检出率和假阴性率,并分析NAC后SLNB检出率和假阴性率与患者及肿瘤特点的关系.结果:60例NAC后患者的前哨淋巴结(SLN)检出率为90%,SLNB的敏感度为90%,特异度为93.33%,准确性为91.67%,假阴性率为10%.其检出率和假阴性率与早期乳腺癌组比较,差异均无统计学意义(P=0.743,P=1.000).NAC组化疗前临床分期T3或N2以上者,腋淋巴结的检出率均显著下降,差异有统计学意义(P=0.030,P=0.000),分期N2以上者假阴性率显著增高,差异有统计学意义,P=0.001.结论:对NAC后达到临床淋巴结阴性的乳腺癌患者,腋窝SLN的检出率和假阴性率与早期乳腺癌SLNB差异无统计学意义,化疗前的TN分期是SLNB检出率和假阴性影响因素.     

Accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced breast cancer and clinically positive axillary nodes

Background

Feasibility and accuracy of sentinel node biopsy (SLNB) after the delivery of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is controversial. We here report our experience in NAC-treated patients with locally advanced breast cancer and clinically positive axillary nodes, and compare it with the results from our previous randomized trial assessing SLNB in early-stage breast cancer patients.

Patients and methods

Sixty-four consecutive patients with large infiltrating tumor and clinically positive axillary nodes received NAC and subsequent lymphatic mapping, SLNB and complete axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). The status of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) was compared to that of the axilla.

Results

At least one SLN was identified in 60 of the 64 patients (93.8%). Among those 60 patients, 37 (61.7%) had one or more positive SLN(s) and 23 (38.3%) did not. Two of the patients with negative SLN(s) presented metastases in other non-sentinel nodes. SLNB thus had a false-negative rate, a negative predictive value and an overall accuracy of 5.1%, 91.3% and 96.7%, respectively. All these values were similar to those we reported for SLNB in the settings of early-stage breast cancer.

Conclusion

SLNB after NAC is safe and feasible in patients with locally advanced breast cancer and clinically positive nodes, and accurately predicts the status of the axilla.     

吲哚菁绿联合美蓝在乳腺癌腋窝前哨淋巴结活检的临床应用价值

目的:探讨吲哚菁绿（indocyanine green,ICG ）荧光导航法联合美蓝示踪法在乳腺癌腋窝前哨淋巴结活检（sentinel lymph node biopsy ,SLNB）中的临床应用价值。方法:收集2013年5 月至2014年4 月广东省汕头中心医院符合入组标准的89例早期乳腺癌患者。其中第一阶段,53例术中行ICG 联合美蓝注射,并利用淋巴荧光显像及美蓝示踪行前哨淋巴结活检术联合腋窝淋巴结清扫术（axillary lymph node dissection ALND ）;第二阶段,36例术中前哨淋巴结（sentinel lymphnode ,SLN ）冰冻病理阴性患者不再行腋窝淋巴结清扫。统计SLN 的检出成功率、准确率及假阴性率。结果:89例患者的SLN 检出成功率为96.6%（86/ 89）,第一阶段检出成功率为94.3%（50/ 53）、准确率98.0%（49/ 50）、假阴性率2.6%（1/ 38）,第二阶段检出成功率为100%（36/ 36）。 ICG 荧光导航法联合美蓝示踪法检出196 枚SLN 中荧光显示为179 枚,196 枚SLN 其中显示蓝染142 枚、未显示蓝染的54枚仅显示荧光。196 枚SLN 中有转移为45枚,5 枚仅显示荧光。22例患者SLN 转移,转移率为24.7%（22/ 89）,2 例患者的SLN 仅显示荧光而未蓝染。中位随访时间为25个月,未发现同侧区域淋巴结复发。结论:ICG 荧光导航法联合美蓝示踪法能够安全有效地应用于乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检。      

中国乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检现状调查研究

背景与目的：前哨淋巴结活检（sentinel lymph node biopsy,SLNB）已经成为乳腺癌临床腋窝淋巴结阴性患者的标准腋窝分期方案。由中国抗癌协会乳腺癌专业委员会发起的SLNB调查研究,旨在了解中国大型医院乳腺癌SLNB的开展现状。方法：在全国范围内纳入2017年手术量大于200例的医院,共110家医院完成问卷调查。调查问卷包括SLNB的开展现状、免除腋窝清扫及新辅助化疗（neoadjuvant chemotherapy,NAC）中SLNB的应用等热点问题。采用χ ² 检验、Fisher确切概率法或Kolmogorov-Smirnov检验对数据进行分析。结果：参与调研的110家医院均开展了SLNB,其中,85家（77.27%）医院对超过50%的临床腋窝淋巴结阴性（cN ₀ ）乳腺癌患者常规进行SLNB。肿瘤专科医院（χ ² =5.62,P=0.018）、保乳手术（breast-conserving surgery,BCS）量较大的医院（D=0.33,P=0.032）开展SLNB的比例更高。大部分医院（93/110,84.55%）未开展内乳SLNB。最常用的示踪方法为染料（主要是亚甲蓝,69/110,62.73%）,仅14.55%（16/110）的医院使用核素联合染料双示踪法。几乎所有的医院（107/110,97.27%）均采用术中快速冰冻切片对前哨淋巴结（sentinel lymph node,SLN）进行病理学诊断。对于cN ₀ 、SLN 1~2枚转移的BCS患者,大部分医院（61/110,55.45%）仅对少于10%的该类患者免除后续腋窝淋巴结清扫（axillary lymph node dissection,ALND）。对于cN ₀ 、SLN 1~2枚转移的全乳切除患者,84家（76.36%）医院对少于10%的此类患者免除后续ALND。对于接受NAC的患者,50家（45.45%）医院在NAC后进行SLNB,60家（54.55%）医院在NAC前进行SLNB。行NAC较多的医院（χ ² =4.365,P=0.037）、在NAC期间常规使用磁共振成像（magnetic resonance imaging,MRI）评估的医院（χ ² =10.967,P=0.004）,更倾向于在NAC后行SLNB。结论：尽管示踪剂的规范应用尚有待改进,早期乳腺癌患者的SLNB已经成为中国评估腋窝状态的标准方式。对于SLN转移负荷较低的患者,国内学者对于免于腋窝清扫仍较为保守。接受NAC的患者,SLNB的应用时机仍存在争议。     

乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检染料和手术时机选择

目的：通过乳腺淋巴引流动物模型及临床乳腺癌来研究染料法前哨淋巴结活检（SLNB）合适染料和手术时机的选择。方法：以12只雌性成年兔第2对乳腺的淋巴引流模型来观察异硫蓝组，美蓝组和两者联合组淋巴结依次染色的时间，枚数和褪色的时间。在12例乳腺癌患者行SLNB时进行仔细观察。结果：通过动物模型发现，异硫蓝组和联合组淋巴结染色的时间明显短于美蓝组，淋巴结染色的枚数明显多于美蓝组；异硫蓝组褪色的时间明显快于美蓝组和联合组，12例乳腺癌患者中有11例注射异硫蓝后30秒－45秒发现淋巴管开始染色，2分钟内即可发现染色的淋巴结。结论：成年雌性兔是一种较为理想的乳腺淋巴引流模型，可用于SLNB的研究。异硫蓝和美蓝联合使用具有互补性。我们推荐1％异硫蓝行乳腺癌SLNB时间为注射染料后1分钟。     

乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检的可行性及临床应用价值

目的 探讨前哨淋巴结(sentinel Iymph node,SLN)定位和活检(SLNB)的可行性及其对预测乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结(axillary lymph node,ALN)转移的准确性。方法 对52例临床查体及B超检测ALN阴性的乳腺癌患者,术中在肿瘤周围注射亚甲蓝进行SLN定位和活检。对常规病理检查阴性的SLN再行免疫组化检测。结果 SLNB的检出成功率为92.3％(48/52),准确率为97.9％,假阴性率为4.8％,敏感度为95.2％,特异度为100％。SLN是惟一被证实有肿瘤转移的淋巴结者占66.7％(14/21)。免疫组化检测使SLN肿瘤转移的阳性率提高了4.1％。结论乳腺癌SLNB技术是可行的,应用亚甲蓝淋巴定位方法进行的SLNB可以准确预测临床及B超检查ALN阴性的乳腺癌患者的ALN转     

Review of Novel Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Techniques in Breast Cancer Patients Treated With Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Breast cancer patients who present with nodal metastasis receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) with increasing frequency and can have complete pathologic response after treatment. In this clinical scenario, sentinel node mapping and biopsy are gaining acceptance instead of axillary dissection to avoid morbidity. Biopsy proven positive lymph nodes must be reliably excised and examined after NAC to further decrease the false negativity rate of sentinel lymph node (SLN) surgery. The standard method for axillary staging in breast cancer patients even after NAC is SLN biopsy (SLNB) with a radioisotope, blue dye, or both (dual technique). Currently, preoperative axillary staging with ultrasound and biopsy, along with placement of an image-detectable marker to be removed at the time of definitive surgery is recommended. In this study, we evaluated some methods of SLNB for patients treated with NAC like indocyanine green fluorescence, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, indigocarmine blue dye, contrast-enhanced ultrasound using microbubbles, and tattooing. Some methods are also needed to ensure that the initially biopsy proven positive node is removed at the time of surgery to be carefully evaluated for residual disease after chemotherapy like clip placement to the suspected or involved nodes before NAC, and removing the clipped node with the guidance of 125I-labeled radioactive seed or guide wires.     

染料法乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检的临床应用

为了探讨影响染料法乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检（SLNB）成功率的因素及其可能机制,使用亚甲蓝染色法对89例乳腺癌进行SLNB,分析其可能的影响因素和机制.结果：78例成功检出前哨淋巴结（SLN）,检出率为87.6%.术前未触及肿大淋巴结者,SLN检出率明显高于可触及肿大淋巴结者（P＜0.05）,而假阴性率显著低于后者,P＜0.05;实验后期64例SLNB检出率高于实验早期25例的检出率,P＜0.05.初步研究结果提示,腋窝淋巴结肿大影响SLNB的检出率;SLNB技术学习曲线也可影响SLN的检出率.SLNB可用于指导乳腺癌的外科治疗.     

Accuracy and axilla sparing potentials of sentinel lymph node biopsy with methylene blue alone performed before versus after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer: a single institution experience

Introduction

The timing of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) of breast cancer in the neoadjuvant setting is still controversial. We retrospectively analyzed a Chinese patient cohort with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) to evaluate the accuracy and axilla sparing potentials of different SLNB timings with methylene blue alone for lymphatic mapping.

Materials and methods

Patients with NAC and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) and either pre- or post-NAC SLNB were eligible. Clinicopathological characteristics, identification rate (IR), false-negative rate (FNR), accuracy, and positive-predictive value were calculated and compared between the pre- and post-NAC SLNB group using appropriate statistical methods. Axilla sparing potentials of different SLNB timings were evaluated and compared.

Results

One hundred and fifteen eligible cases were included, and 58 had pre-NAC SLNB while the other 57 had post-NAC SLNB. Both groups were comparable in clinicopathological characteristics, neoadjuvant treatments and pathologic complete response rate. IR, FNR, and accuracy of SLNB, as pre-NAC versus post-NAC, were 100 versus 98.2 % (P = 0.496), 0 versus 8.0 % (P = 0.181), and 100 versus 96.4 % (P = 0.239), respectively. Post-NAC SLNB had significantly higher positive-predictive value for ALNs than pre-NAC SLNB (70.0 vs. 36.4 %, P = 0.014), suggesting as high as 63.6 % of ALND performed in the pre-NAC group could have been avoided while only 30 % of ALND in the post-NAC group were theoretically unnecessary.

Conclusions

Both SLNB timings of breast cancer patients with NAC were feasible and accurate. Although pre-NAC SLNB tends to be better in accuracy, post-NAC SLNB is significantly superior in terms of axilla sparing.     

Intraoperative sentinel node biopsy by one-step nucleic acid amplification (OSNA) avoids axillary lymphadenectomy in women with breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Background

There is no evidence that supports the recommendation of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in patients with breast cancer who have treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) to downsize tumors in order to allow breast conservation surgery, because NAC induces anatomical alterations of the lymphatic drainage. We evaluated the effectiveness of SLNB using intraoperative one-step nucleic acid amplification (OSNA) method to detect microscopic metastases or isolated tumor cells after NAC in patients with clinically negative axillary nodes at initial presentation.

Patients and methods

We evaluated in patients with breast cancer and clinically negative axilla at presentation, the effectiveness of SLNB by OSNA after NAC (71 patients) or prior to NAC (40 patients).

Results

The rate of SLN identification was 100% in both groups. 17 women with SLNB prior to systemic treatment showed positive nodes (14 macrometastases and 3 micrometastases), and positive SLNB were detected in 15 women with SLNB after NAC, which were 14 macrometastases and 1 micrometastase. The negative predictive value of ultrasonography was 57.5% in patients with SLNB prior to neoadjuvant therapy and 78.9% in patients with chemotherapy followed by SLNB.

Conclusions

Intraoperative SLNB using OSNA in women with clinically negative axillary lymph nodes at initial presentation who received NAC could predict axillary status with high accuracy. Also it allows us to take decisions about the indication or not to perform an axillary dissection at the moment, thus avoiding delay in the administration of chemotherapy and benefiting the patients from a single surgical procedure.     

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Alone after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients with Initial Cytology-Proven Axillary Node Metastasis

Purpose

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has been recently used to downstage breast cancer. However, in patients with initial axillary lymph node (ALN) metastasis, ALN dissection regardless of the NAC response remains the standard treatment. The purpose of this study was to identify the feasibility and accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) after NAC in patients with ALN metastasis at diagnosis.

Methods

From January 2007 to August 2013, data of patients who were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and ALN metastasis and treated with NAC followed by definitive surgery in two centers were collected retrospectively. A total of 386 patients were enrolled and classified into five groups according to surgical procedure for the ALNs and pathologic results.

Results

At SLNB after NAC, sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) that stained blue or were hot, including suspicious nodes, were identified; the SLN identification and false-negative rates was 96% and 10%, respectively. There was no difference in the overall survival among the groups. For patients who revealed a pathologic complete node response, there was a significant difference in the disease-free survival rate between the SLNB only and complete ALN dissection groups (p=0.031). However, the rate of axillary recurrence demonstrated no significant differences among the groups (p>0.050).

Conclusion

SLNB after NAC in breast cancer patients with initial ALN metastasis may help identify downstaging to negative nodal status and thereby reduce the surgical morbidity by avoiding standard ALN dissection.     

99m锝硫胶体联合美蓝在乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检中的应用价值

目的探讨锝-99m硫胶体(99mTc-SC)联合美蓝在早期乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检(SLNB)中的可行性、准确性及临床应用价值。方法采用99mTc-SC联合美蓝对68例T1-2N0M0乳腺癌患者进行SLNB,将切除的前哨淋巴结(SLN)行病理检查了解其符合率,探讨联合法在早期乳腺癌SLNB中的临床应用价值。结果成功确定患者SLN 67例,1例术前单光子发射型计算机断层扫描(SPECT)未显影,10例SLN病理检测阳性并行腋窝淋巴结清扫(ALND),99mTc-SC灵敏度为81.8%,准确性为97.1%,假阴性率为18.2%。美蓝法灵敏度为72.7%,准确性为95.6%,假阴性率为27.3%。联合法灵敏度为90.9%,准确性为98.5%,假阴性率为9.1%。假阳性率为0。结论99mTc-SC联合美蓝检测法可明显降低早期乳腺癌SLNB的假阴性率。     

核素标记法联合亚甲蓝在早期乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检中的应用价值

[目的]探讨核素标记法联合亚甲蓝在早期乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检中的临床应用价值。[方法]对65例临床确诊的早期乳腺癌患者联合应用99mTc-硫胶体和亚甲蓝标记法进行前哨淋巴结活检,并行腋淋巴结清扫术。[结果]前哨淋巴结活检成功率为100.00%,准确率98.46%,假阴性率6.25%。[结论]核素标记和亚甲蓝联合定位法在前哨淋巴结活检中具有明确的实用性,能有效预测早期乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结转移状况。     

乳腺癌哨位淋巴结活检的临床意义

目的 探讨哨位淋巴结（sentinel lymph node,SLN)活检术（SLN biopsy,SLNB)指导临床腋淋巴结阴性（cNO)乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结游击队范围的可行性。方法 使用专利蓝或美蓝对1999年4月-2000年8月的96例cT1-3NOMO期乳腺癌患者进行SLNB,随后行包括全腋淋巴结清除的乳腺癌手术。结果 确定SLN91例,成功率为94.8%,SLＮ为１个者５4例,占59.3%;2个者23例,占25.3A%;3个以上者14例,占15.4%,91例中,24例（26.4%)SLN阳性,其中13例（54.2%)仅有SLN转移,SLNB的灵敏度为87.5%,特异度为100%,阳性结果预测值为100%,阴性结果预测值为95.7%,术中印片细胞学检查的准确率为92.1%,假阴性率为10.0%,假阳性率为7.1%;术中快速病理检查准确率为98.7%,假阴性率为5.0%,假阳性率为0,免疫组化未发现常规病理检查阴性的SLN有阳性结果。结论 SLN转移状况基本可反映乳腺癌腋淋巴结转移的状况;SLNB有望成为指导cNO期乳腺癌腋淋巴结清除范围的手术方法;国产美蓝对SLN标识效果与专利蓝相似。     

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is an accurate method for axillary staging in patients with early breast cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and the feasibility of SLNB in breast cancer patients who had received preoperative (neoadjuvant) chemotherapy. METHODS: Patients with advanced breast cancer stage II or III who were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy were included in the study. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) identification and biopsy was attempted and performed, and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) was performed in the same surgical procedure after SLNB. The histopathologic examination of the SLNs and the dissected axillary lymph nodes was performed and nodal status was compared. RESULTS: Thirty patients were included in the study. After peritumoural injection of technetium-99m labelled human albumin and subareolar subcutaneous injection of blue dye, the SLNs could be identified in 26/30 patients (identification rate 86.7%). In 4/30 patients (13.3%) SLNs could not be identified. In 25/26 patients (96.2%) SLNs accurately predicted the axillary status. Eleven patients had negative SLNs and negative nodes in ALND. Six patients had positive SLNs and positive nodes in ALND. In eight patients SLNs only were positive and nodes in ALND were negative. One patient had a false-negative SLNB, calculating a false-negative rate of 6.7% (1/15). CONCLUSIONS: SLNB is a well introduced technique for axillary staging in patients with early breast cancer. The accuracy of SLNB after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is similar to patients with primary surgery. SLNB could be an alternative to ALND in a subgroup of patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and therefore could reduce morbidity due to surgery in those patients. Due to small numbers of patients, further evaluation in this subset of patients is required.     

前哨淋巴结活检在中国皮肤和肢端恶性黑色素瘤患者诊治中的临床意义

背景与目的：恶性黑色素瘤近年来在中国发病率呈上升趋势。前哨淋巴结活检（sentinel lymph node biopsy,SLNB）在欧美是皮肤恶性黑色素瘤外科诊治规范的重要环节,但在中国却未广泛开展。中国黑色素瘤具有多肢端亚型、浸润深度厚、溃疡率高和预后差等特点。但中国黑色素瘤外科治疗后的预后仍未明确。该研究旨在分析中国黑色素瘤患者的临床数据,评价SLNB的可行性及其对预后的影响。方法：回顾性分析2009—2017年在复旦大学附属肿瘤医院治疗的无临床淋巴转移和远处转移征象的黑色素瘤患者。每例患者在接受原发病灶扩大切除的同时,进行相应区域淋巴结的SLNB。前哨淋巴结（sentinel lymph node,SLN）的定位通过美兰染色和同位素示踪完成。所有患者术后均进行随访。结果：本研究共纳入452例黑色素瘤患者。平均Breslow浸润深度为3.29 mm,66.4%为肢端病灶,溃疡率达59.7%。SLN阳性率为26.8%,假阴性率为4%,淋巴结总转移率为30.8%。本组患者5年总生存率（overall survival,OS）和无病生存率（disease-free survival,DFS）分别为66.6%和55.8%。SLN状态是显著影响患者预后的独立危险因素,而Breslow浸润深度是预测SLN转移状态的独立危险因素。结论：对于无临床大体转移的中国黑色素瘤患者,应常规开展SLNB。SLN状态是影响复发和总体生存的重要因素,SLNB能提高淋巴结微转移患者的生存,提供准确的临床分期。     

200 Sentinel lymph node biopsies without axillary lymph node dissection -- no axillary recurrences after a 3-year follow-up

The aim of this study is to evaluate the rate of axillary recurrences in sentinel lymph node (SLN)-negative breast cancer patients after sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) alone without further axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Between May 1999 and February 2002, 333 consecutive patients with primary invasive breast cancer up to 4 cm and clinically negative axillae were entered into this prospective study. Sentinel lymph nodes were identified using the combined method with blue dye (Patent blue V) and technetium 99m-labelled albumin (Nanocoll). Sentinel lymph nodes were examined by frozen sections, standard haematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry staining. In SLN-positive patients, ALND was performed. Sentinel lymph node-negative patients had no further ALND. The SLN identification rate was 98.5% (328 out of 333). In all, 128 out of 328 (39.0%) patients had positive SLNs and complete ALND. A total of 200 out of 328 (61.0%) patients were SLN negative and had no further ALND. The mean tumour size of SLN-negative patients was 16.5 mm. The mean number of SLNs removed was 2.1 per patient. There were no local or axillary recurrences at a median follow-up of 36 months. The absence of axillary recurrences after SLNB without ALND in SLN-negative breast cancer patients supports the hypothesis that SLNB is accurate and safe while providing less surgical morbidity than ALND. Short-term results are very promising that SLNB without ALND in SLN-negative patients is an excellent procedure for axillary staging in a cohort of breast cancer patients with small tumours.