应用亚甲蓝行乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检276例分析

目的 探讨以亚甲蓝作为示踪剂行乳腺癌前哨淋巴结(SLN)活检的临床应用及影响因素.方法 分析了276例临床T1-T2 N0-M0乳腺癌患者前哨淋巴结活检(SLNB)结果,对SLN检出率及假阴性率影响因素进行了初步分析.结果 276例患者中,成功检出SLN者246例(检出率为89.1%).共检出SLN 423枚,每例1～4枚.前哨淋巴结对腋窝淋巴结转移情况预测的敏感性为77.3%(68/88),假阴性率为8.1%(20/246),假阳性率为0,准确率为91.9%(226/246).临床T2N0M0SLNB成功率高于临床T1N0M0乳腺癌患者(P=0.046);年龄<50岁者SLNB检出成功率高于年龄≥50岁病例(P=0.000),SLNB假阴性率年龄<50岁者显著低于高龄患者(P=0.037);外上象限和外下象限肿瘤SLNB检出成功率明显高于其他象限(P=0.000).内上象限肿瘤SLNB假阴性率高于外上及外下象限(P=0.018).临床TMN分期、EB、PR表达情况及病理类型对SLNB成功率及假阴性率无影响.结论 以亚甲蓝作为示踪剂行乳腺癌SLNB,患者年龄、临床TNM分期、肿瘤部位对SLN检出率有一定影响,患者年龄、肿瘤部位可影响SLNB假阴性率.     

颈淋巴结阴性的甲状腺乳头状癌中央区淋巴结清扫的临床意义

目的:研究中央区淋巴结清扫在c N0甲状腺乳头状癌治疗中的意义。方法:回顾性分析2010年1月-2014年6月间收治的83例c N0甲状腺乳头状癌患者的临床资料,对中央区淋巴结转移的单因素和转移率进行统计分析。结果:83例c N0甲状腺乳头状癌患者的中央区淋巴结转移率为48.2%,中央区淋巴结转移与患者性别、年龄、肿瘤多灶性、肿瘤大小及是否侵犯甲状腺包膜有关(P0.05)。结论:c N0甲状腺乳头状癌患者的中央区淋巴结转移率较高,中央区淋巴结清扫术在减少肿瘤复发、改善存活率、降低颈侧区淋巴结转移率、肿瘤准确临床分期、制定术后综合治疗方案和判断。     

OPN在乳腺癌淋巴结转移中的作用

目的:探讨骨桥蛋白（OPN）在乳腺癌中的表达及其与腋窝淋巴结转移之间的关系。方法:采用免疫组织化学方法检测 66例乳腺癌、28例乳腺良性肿瘤、37例癌旁乳腺组织和29组腋窝转移淋巴结中OPN的表达，分析OPN表达与腋窝淋巴结转移及其他临床病理特征的关系。结果:乳腺癌组织中OPN的表达水平（4.83）明显高于癌旁乳腺组织（1.86）和乳腺良性肿瘤（2.18)（P＜0.01)；乳腺癌淋巴结转移阳性组与阴性组之间、乳腺癌原发病灶与相应的腋窝转移淋巴结之间OPN表达差异有统计学意义（P=0.048,0.03）。乳腺癌c erbB 2阳性表达组OPN表达水平（5.22）高于c erbB 2阴性组（4.00），但差异无统计学意义（P=0.056）。乳腺癌OPN表达与患者年龄、肿瘤大小、转移淋巴结数量、组织学类型、肿瘤分级以及TNM分期无关（P＞0.05），而与淋巴结转移有关（P=0.048）。结论:OPN在乳腺癌组织中高表达，且与乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结转移密切相关。     

抗人乳腺癌单抗M4G3在隐性乳腺癌诊断中的应用

目的 探讨抗人乳腺癌单克隆抗体M4G3在以腋淋巴结转移癌为首发症状的隐性乳腺癌诊断中的应用。方法 对切检为腋淋巴结转移癌而乳腺内未触及肿物的62例做M4G3免疫组织化学检测，并对其中M4G3阳性病例做全乳腺大切片检查，寻找乳腺内原发癌灶。结果 M4G3阳性58例(93．55％58／62)；乳腺内原发灶总检出率84．62％(44／52)；M4G3与雌激素受体／孕激素受体检测结果呈正相关(r1=0．394，P1=0．026；r2=0．357，P2=0．045)；随访结果表明M4G3阳性患者的原发灶在乳腺内。结论 抗人乳腺癌单克隆抗体M4G3检测在以腋淋巴结转移癌为首发症状的隐性乳腺癌的诊断中有重要临床价值，还需辅以全乳腺大切片检查配合诊断。     

cN0甲状腺乳头状癌中央区淋巴结转移的相关因素分析

目的 探讨cN0甲状腺乳头状癌患者临床指标与中央区淋巴结转移的关系.方法 回顾性分析166例cN0甲状腺乳头状癌患者的临床资料.结果 ＜45岁组患者中央区淋巴结转移率明显高于≥45岁患者(39％比22％,P＜0.05);直径≤0.5 cm组中央区淋巴结转移率(14％,5/35)明显低于＞0.5 cm患者(P＜0.05);肿块位于上极的患者其中央区淋巴结转移率(25％,12/48)最低(P＜0.01);肿块位于中极(45％,13/29)和下极(43％,31/72)的两组患者间在中央区淋巴结转移率上的差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).结论 年龄＜ 45岁,肿块位于中极、下极或肿块直径＞0.5 cm是cN0甲状腺乳头状癌患者发生中央区淋巴结转移的高危因素.     

cN0期甲状腺乳头状微小癌中央区淋巴结隐性转移危险因素

目的:探讨cN_0期甲状腺乳头状微小癌(PTMC)的临床特点及中央区淋巴结隐性转移的危险因素。方法:回顾性分析372例行甲状腺切除术及预防性中央区淋巴结清扫cN_0期甲状腺乳头状癌(PTC)患者临床资料,将其中250例PTMC患者(肿瘤直径≤1.0 cm)作为研究组,122例普通PTC患者(肿瘤直径1.0-2.0 cm)作为对照组,通过比较两组患者临床病理及影像学资料,分析PTMC的临床特点及中央区淋巴结隐性转移的危险因素。结果:研究组与对照组中央区颈部淋巴结转移率分别为32.8%(82/250)和42.6%(52/122),差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。单因素分析显示,研究组中央淋巴结转移与肿瘤大小、多灶性肿瘤、包膜侵润有关(均P0.05),而与结节的超声特征及其他因素无关(均P0.05);对照组中央淋巴结转移与各研究因素均无明显关系(均P0.05)。多因素分析发现,肿瘤大小(OR=2.916,95%CI=1.19-4.37)、多灶性肿瘤(OR=1.230,95%CI=0.68-2.75)、包膜侵润(OR=1.923,95%CI=1.06-3.70)是PTMC中央区淋巴结转移的危险因素(均P0.05)。结论:cN_0期PTMC中央区淋巴结转移率与普通PTC相似,肿瘤大小、多灶性肿瘤、包膜侵润是cN_0期PTMC淋巴结转移的危险因素。     

趋化因子受体5表达与乳腺癌临床病理特征及预后的相关性研究

目的 探讨趋化因子受体5(CCR5)在乳腺癌病灶和腋窝转移淋巴结中的表达及其与临床病理意义.方法 收集72例乳腺导管浸润癌及其腋窝淋巴结组织,50例乳腺纤维腺瘤组织,40例正常乳腺组织石蜡标本切片.采用免疫组化方法检测CCR5的表达情况;同时检测乳腺癌组织中C-erbB-2,p53,Ki-67,ER,PR的表达情况,并与临床病理资料进行统计学分析.结果 (1)乳腺癌组织中CCR5蛋白表达阳性率达84.72%(61/72),乳腺纤维腺瘤组织中表达阳性率较低(14%,7/50),正常乳腺组织中不表达CCR5;(2)乳腺癌CCR5表达与腋窝淋巴结转移呈正相关(X<'2>=4.982,P=0.026,r=0.305);(3)50例伴腋窝淋巴结转移的患者中,乳腺癌原发灶及转移淋巴结同时表达CCR5阳性者39例,具有较高的同源性;(4)乳腺癌CCR5表达与癌基因C-erbB-2之间呈低度正相关(P<0.05,r=0.291);(5)乳腺癌CCR5表达与患者年龄、绝经与否、肿瘤最大径、肿瘤分期等临床特征无关(均P>0.05);(6)乳腺癌CCR5表达与p53,Ki-67,ER,PR无关表达(均P>0.05).结论 CCR5在乳腺癌的发生、发展及腋窝淋巴结转移方面起一定作用;CCR5可间接作为预测乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结转移及预后判断的指标之一.     

cN0期甲状腺微小乳头状癌侧颈淋巴结转移危险因素分析

目的:探讨甲状腺微小乳头状癌(PTMC)患者侧颈区淋巴结转移的危险因素。方法:回顾性分析462例临床淋巴结阴性(cN0)的PTMC患者的术前彩超及临床病理资料,应用χ~2检验和多因素Logistic回归分析侧颈区淋巴结转移危险因素。结果:全组患者中PTMC中央区淋巴结转移率为38.5%,侧颈区淋巴结转移率为23.6%。单因素分析显示,性别(χ~2=7.312,P0.05)、肿瘤直径(χ~2=14.321,P0.001)、包膜受侵(χ~2=21.689,P0.001)、多灶癌(χ~2=13.086,P0.001)、中央区淋巴结阳性(χ~2=69.421,P0.001)、肿瘤位置(χ~2=19.028,P0.001)与侧颈区淋巴结转移明显有关;多因素Logistic回归分析显示,男性(OR=1.758)、肿瘤直径≥7mm(OR=1.710)、包膜受侵(OR=3.337)、多灶(OR=1.778)、中央区淋巴结阳性(OR=7.504)、肿瘤位于上极(OR=4.084)是PTMC患者侧颈区淋巴结转移的独立危险因素(均P0.05)。侧颈区淋巴结的转移风险随中央区淋巴结转移数目的增多而增加(≥3枚:OR=19.957)。结论:cN0期PTMC的侧颈淋巴结转移与多个因素有关,对于存在这些危险因素的患者,首次手术治疗时应考虑行患侧侧颈区淋巴结探查。     

c-erbB-2基因在乳腺浸润性导管癌及腋窝转移淋巴结中的表达相关性分析

目的:探讨乳腺浸润性导管癌中c-erbB-2的表达及其与腋窝淋巴结等临床病理因素的相关性.方法:采用免疫组织化学方法检测149例乳腺浸润性导管癌患者乳腺原发灶及47例腋淋巴结转移灶中c-erbB-2的表达,结合临床病理因素,分析其相关性.结果:19.46%(29/149)原发灶c-erbB-2高表达,其表达水平与肿瘤大小、腋窝淋巴结转移情况呈正相关,与ER、PR表达呈负相关.47例腋窝淋巴结转移乳腺浸润性导管癌患者中,原发灶c-erbB-2高表达18例(38.30%),腋窝淋巴结转移灶c-erbB-2高表达16例(34.04%),两者差异无统计学意义(P>0.05).5例原发灶c-erbB-2阴性或低表达患者腋窝淋巴结转移呈高表达,7例原发灶c-erbB-2高表达患者淋巴结转移呈阴性或低表达,变化率为25.53%(12/47).结论: c-erbB-2可以作为预测乳腺癌预后的指标,指导术后治疗,但应当考虑c-erbB-2在原发灶和复发转移灶之间的差异,有必要对复发转移灶进行c-erbB-2检测.     

国产亚甲蓝行早期乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检的观察

目的：探讨前哨淋巴结活检术（sentinel lymph node biopsy，SLNB）反映早期乳腺癌腋淋巴结转移情况，并指导临床腋淋巴结阴性（cN0）乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结清除范围的可行性。方法：使用国产1％亚甲蓝对120例cT1.2N0M0期乳腺癌病人进行前哨淋巴结活检，于原发肿瘤边缘上、下、左、右选取4个注射点．将1％亚甲蓝4m1分别注射到乳腺实质及皮下组织内，已行术中活检则注射于残腔壁周围及其表面的皮下组织内。注射后从注射点向腋窝方向轻按摩5～10min，以利于淋巴管和淋巴结的染色，随后行乳腺癌改良根治手术或保乳手术。SLN常规HE染色病理检查．阴性者通过免疫组化方法行淋巴结微转移检查。结果：确定SLN87例，成功率为72．50％。SLNB的特异度为100％．假阳性率为0％，假阴性率为1．5％，准确率为98．85％；阴性前哨淋巴结的微转移率为4．44％。结论：前哨淋巴结转移状况基本上可反映乳腺癌腋淋巴结转移的状况；SLNB有望成为指导cN0，期乳腺癌腋淋巴结清除范围的方法。     

Sentinel lymphadenectomy accurately predicts nodal status in T2 breast cancer

Background: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has emerged as a reliable, accurate method of staging the axilla for early breast cancer. Although widely accepted for T1 lesions, its use in larger tumors remains controversial. This study was undertaken to define the role of SLNB for T2 breast cancer.

Study Design: From a prospective breast sentinel lymph node database of 1,627 patients accrued between September 1996 and November 1999, we identified 223 patients with clinical T1-2N0 breast cancer who underwent 224 lymphatic mapping procedures and SLNB followed by a standard axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Preoperative lymphatic mapping was performed by injection of unfiltered technetium 99 sulfur colloid and isosulfan blue dye. Data about patient and tumor characteristics and the status of the sentinel lymph nodes and the axillary nodes were analyzed. Statistics were performed using Fisher’s exact test.

Results: Two hundred four of 224 sentinel lymph node mapping procedures (91%) were successful. Median tumor size was 2.0 cm (range 0.2 to 4.8 cm). One hundred forty-five of the 204 patients had T1 lesions and 59 patients had T2 lesions. There were 92 pathologically positive axillae, 5 (5%) of which were not evident either by SLNB or by intraoperative clinical examination. The false-negative rate and accuracy were not significantly different between the two groups, but axillary node metastases were observed more frequently with T2 than with T1 tumors (p = 0.005); other factors, including patient age, prior surgical biopsy, upper-outer quadrant tumor location, and tumor lymphovascular invasion were not associated with a higher incidence of false-negative SLNB in either T1 or T2 tumors.

Conclusions: SLNB is as accurate for T2 tumors as it is for T1 tumors. Because no tumor or patient characteristics predict a high false-negative rate, all patients with T1-2N0 breast cancer should be considered candidates for the procedure. Complete clinical examination of the axilla should be undertaken to avoid missing palpable axillary nodal metastases.     

乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检

目的 评价前哨淋巴结活检预测腋窝淋巴结有无肿瘤转移的准确性及其临床意义。方法 用^99m锝－硫胶体作为示踪剂,用γ探测仪导向,对70例临床分期为T1－2N0M0的乳腺癌患者进行前哨淋巴结活检,所有的患者均同时行腋窝淋巴结清扫,HE染色阴性的前哨淋巴结再切片,用CK8、CK19、KP－1行免疫组织化学染色。结果 70例患者中成功发现前哨淋巴结的有67例,发现率为95.7%（67／70）。前哨淋巴结的数量为1－5枚,平均每例1.6枚。非前哨淋巴结5－20枚,平均例12.3枚。67例前哨淋巴结活检成功的患者中,29例患者（43.3%）有腋窝淋巴结转移,其中前哨淋巴结有转移者24例（35.8%）,前哨淋巴结未发现转移而非前哨淋巴结有转移者5例（7.5%）。7例患者（10.4%）只有有淋巴结为阳性淋巴结,前哨淋巴结活检的准确性为100％。43例患者的65枚HE染色阴性一的前哨淋巴结,CK8及CK19免疫组织化学染色均为阴性。结论 前哨淋巴结检能较准确地预测腋窝淋巴结转移情况,对原发灶为T1的乳腺癌,前哨淋巴结活检的准确性为100％。同一层面切片行免疫组织化学染色并不能提高淋巴结微转移癌的发现率。     

Prognosis in stage II (T1N1M0) breast cancer.

As part of a detailed study of prognostic factors in breast cancer, we have analyzed the ten year survival rates of 524 patients with primary invasive carcinomas 2.0 cm or less in diameter (T1). This report describes the subset of 142 patients (27%) who had metastases only in axillary lymph nodes (T1N1M0). All the patients were treated initially by at least a modified radical mastectomy. Factors associated with a significantly poorer prognosis were: axillary lymph node metastases suspected on clinical examination; perimenopausal menstrual status at diagnosis; tumor larger than 1.0 cm; prominent lymphoid reaction; infiltrating duct or lobular rather than medullary, colloid and tubular carcinoma; and blood vessel invasion. When compared with those patients with negative nodes (T1N0M0), the patients with one or more lymph node metastases had a significantly poorer prognosis. Generally, survival rates tended to diminish as the number of involved lymph nodes increased. In this respect, comparison of patients with one-three and four or more nodal metastases provided a significant discrimination of prognostic groups in the entire series. However, for patients with disease limited to Level I, the same discrimination was obtained comparing those with one-two and three or more positive nodes. In the subset with a single lymph node metastasis, the size of the metastasis (micro or less than or equal to 2 mm vs macro or greater than 2 mm) was not significantly related to prognosis. Lymph node metastases were significantly less frequent among tumors smaller than 1 cm and special tumor types (medullary, colloid, lobular and tubular). However, no factor proved to be a reliable predictor of the presence of axillary metastases for the single largest group consisting of patients with infiltrating duct carcinoma 1-2 cm in diameter.     

乳腺癌新辅助化疗后前哨淋巴结活检的初步研究

目的研究乳腺癌新辅助化疗后前哨淋巴结活检（SLNB）的可行性和效果。方法利用新型示踪剂——^99mTc-利妥昔配合专利蓝染料对60例原发性乳腺癌新辅助化疗后病例进行SLNB，并对SLN进行常规病理检查和免疫组织化学检查。SLNB后常规腋窝淋巴结清扫。结果SLN检测成功率95％（57／60）。SLN转移阳性23例（40％），其中18例为常规病理检查转移阳性（78％），5例为免疫组织化学检出的微转移（22％）。23例SLN有转移病例中，9例同时存在其他腋窝淋巴结转移，另外14例为惟一转移淋巴结。1例SLN转移假阴性。灵敏度96％（23／24），准确性98％（56／57），特异度100％（33／33），假阴性率4．3％（1／23），阴性预测值97％（36／37），阳性预测值100％（24／24）。内乳淋巴结显像11例，活检病理检查均为转移阴性。结论同位素示踪剂和蓝染料联合检测方法对原发性乳腺癌新辅助化疗后进行SLNB同样适用，内乳前哨淋巴结活检不应做常规推荐。     

Sentinel node biopsy in the surgical management of breast cancer: experience in a general hospital with a dedicated surgical team

The aims of this study were to analyse the feasibility and accuracy of the sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) procedure as performed in a general hospital compared with the literature results; to report on the organizational aspects of planning surgical time with higher accuracy of pathological analysis; and to verify that there is a real advantage of SLNB in the surgical management of breast cancer. From October 1999 to September 2000, 371 consecutive patients with T1-2N0 breast lesions underwent SLNB. The immunoscintigraphic method of sentinel node identification was the main one used, the blue dye method being used only when the lymphoscintigraphic method was unsuccessful in identifying sentinel nodes. SLNB was done under either general or local anaesthesia, depending on how the surgical procedure was organized and clinically planned. SLNB was successful in 99% of these T1-2N0 breast cancer cases, and in 71% no metastases were found in the sentinel node. In 47% of cases with axillary metastasis only the sentinel node was involved. Nodal involvement was not present in any case of microinvasive or in situ carcinoma. In T1 cancers nodal involvement was present in 21%; in T2 cases the corresponding rate reached 51%. The results obtained with the SLNB procedure at Bergamo Hospital are similar to the literature data. When a dedicated surgical team, the nuclear medicine department and the pathology department work together, a general hospital can provide breast cancer patients with appropriate surgical treatment.     

染料法前哨淋巴结活检治疗乳腺癌进展

本旨在复习前哨淋巴结活检术的发展过程和乳腺的淋巴引流解剖，总结染料法前哨淋巴结活检术在乳腺癌诊治中的临床意义。乳腺癌的淋巴转移常常首先到达腋窝前哨淋巴结，染料法前哨淋巴结活检术对腋窝淋巴结是否受累以及是否需行清扫有确切指导作用。当染料法前哨淋巴结活检阴性时，可不必常规行腋窝淋巴结清扫术，由此可避免后带来的并发症和痛苦。     

Breast Cancer with Endocrine Differentiation: Report of Two Cases Showing Different Histologic Patterns

We report two cases of breast cancer with endocrine differentiation. Case 1 was a 56-year-old woman with a 2-cm tumor in the upper outer quadrant of the right breast and right axillary lymphadenopathy. Excisional biopsy suggested carcinoma and we performed breast-conserving surgery with lymph node dissection. Histologic examination revealed breast cancer with endocrine differentiation resembling small cell carcinoma of the lung, with one nodal metastasis. Case 2 was a 71-year-old woman with a 2.5-cm tumor in the upper outer quadrant of the right breast. Aspiration cytology suggested carcinoma and we performed mastectomy with lymph node dissection. Histologic examination revealed a carcinoid tumor, as one of the breast cancers with endocrine differentiation, but no nodal metastasis. The two patients are now disease-free 26 and 12 months after surgery, respectively.     

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Breast Cancer: Current Controversies

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 hematoxylin-eosin 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 Lymph Node Biopsy in T3 and T4b Breast Cancer Patients: Analysis in a Tertiary Cancer Hospital and Systematic Literature Review

IntroductionBreast cancer represents the most common type of cancer among women in the world. The presence and extent of axillary lymph node involvement represent an important prognostic factor. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is currently accepted for T1 and T2 with negative axillae (N0); however, many patients with T3-T4b tumors with N0 are often submitted to unnecessarily axillary lymph node dissection.Materials and MethodsThis is a retrospective, observational study of patients treated for breast cancer between 2008 and 2015, with T3/T4b tumors and N0, who underwent SLNB. A systematic review of the literature was also carried out in 5 bases.ResultsWe analyzed 73 patients, and SLNB was negative for macrometastasis in 60.3% of the cases. With a mean follow-up of 45 months, no ipsilateral axillary local recurrence was observed. In the systematic review, only 7 articles presented data for analysis. Grouping these studies with the present series, the rate of N0 was 32.1% for T3 and 61.0% for T4b; grouping all studies (T3 and T4b n = 431) the rate was 32.5%.ConclusionsSLNB in T3/T4b tumors is a feasible and safe procedure from the oncological point of view, as it has not been associated with ipsilateral axillary relapse.     

Axillary lymph node metastases in patients with small carcinomas of the breast: is accurate prediction possible?

OBJECTIVES: To find out whether macroscopic classification of the tumour margin is predictive of axillary lymph node metastases and to identify a combination of clinical and pathological findings by which axillary node status can be predicted accurately in small carcinomas (T1) of the breast. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Municipal referral centre, Japan. SUBJECTS: All 1003 patients with T1 invasive carcinoma of the breast who had axillary lymph node dissection between January 1970 and December 1996 as part of their treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The association between the incidence of axillary lymph node metastases and 10 clinical and pathological factors (age, palpability and size of tumour, macroscopic classification of tumour margin, clinical axillary status, radiating spiculation on a mammogram, histological type, lymphatic invasion, oestrogen and progesterone receptor status) were analysed. RESULTS: Clinical axillary node status, macroscopic classification of tumour margin, lymphatic invasion, and age of the patient were significant predictors of axillary lymph node metastases (p < 0.01 in each case). Among 47 patients aged 65 or more whose tumours had well-defined margins and with a clinical N0 status in the axillae, the incidence of histological axillary lymph node metastasis was only 6% (n = 3) whereas it was 65% in 57 patients with tumours of ill-defined margins whose axillae were N1 or N2. CONCLUSIONS: Macroscopic classification of tumour margins is an independent predictor of axillary lymph node metastases for patients with small carcinomas of the breast. However, even with combinations of the examined predictors of axillary node metastases, the subgroup of patients at minimal risk of metastasis was less than 5% in T1 breast cancer, whereas three-quarters of the patients had clear axillary lymph nodes. Most patients with T1 breast cancer will need surgical staging of the axillae by methods such as sentinel node biopsy.