Intraoperative pathological monitorization of surgical margins: a method to reduce recurrences after conservative treatment for breast cancer

INTRODUCTION: Local recurrences after conservative surgical treatment for breast cancer are not uncommon and cause negative influences on the oncological prognosis and quality of life of the patients. Aiming to avoid this problem, we have developed a method of intraoperative pathological monitoring of surgical margins (IPMSM), in order to assure adequacy of resection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: IPMSM is based on radiological. macroscopic, cytological and histological examination of frozen sections of the breast specimens in the operating room during the surgery. We evaluated 98 women with 100 tumors clinical stage I-II breast cancer for whom we planned conservative surgery. The margins were oriented by the surgeon and inked by the pathologist in different colors to retain orientation. RESULTS AND DISCUSSSION: According to the histological or cytological results, immediate re-excision was indicated and performed in 40 (40.8%) cases. In six of these, we had to perform a mastectomy. The indications for additional resections were: insufficient margins in 23 cases, extensive intraductal component in eight, multifocality in four, atypical proliferative lesion at the margin in four and diffuse tumor in one. Permanent histological sections confirmed all intraoperative results. These patients were followed by a median period of 42 months (range 3 to 99 months) and we observed 1% of local recurrence and 5.1% of distant metastasis. We compared this group of patients with a control group represented by 149 cases of breast cancer stages I-II treated by conservative surgery, but not submitted to IPMSM. In the control group, we observed 17 (11.4%) local recurrences and 49 (32.9%) distant metastases after a follow-up period from 14 to 213 months (median of 126 months). CONCLUSION: The IPMSM proved to be a safe and accurate method to prevent additional surgery for insufficient margins and to reduce the recurrence rate.     

Schnittränder beim duktalen Carcinoma in situ und beim Mammakarzinom

Tumor affected surgical margins in breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) have a negative prognostic effect and are associated with an increased risk of local recurrence so that tumor-free resection margins are strongly recommended. A microscopically free resection margin in invasive breast carcinomas—“no cells on ink”—also with accompanying DCIS is currently considered sufficient. This refers to any tumor biology and is independent of the age of the patient. Postoperative guideline-recommended adjuvant radiotherapy and systemic therapy is required. This approach is already recommended in the American guidelines as well as in the recommendations of the German Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynäkologische Onkologie (AGO). In the currently valid German S3 guideline from 2012 these recommendations are still missing. For DCIS only, a tumor-free resection margin of 2 mm should be achieved if radiotherapy is planned after breast-conserving surgery.     

Accuracy of clinical assessment of paravaginal defects in women with anterior vaginal wall prolapse.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of clinical assessment of paravaginal defects in women with anterior vaginal wall prolapse. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective chart review of all women undergoing surgery for anterior vaginal wall prolapse during the years of 1994 to 1996 identified operative notes that described the surgical assessment of paravaginal support. These surgical findings were compared with the preoperative clinical assessment. Clinical parameters that predicted poor correlation were identified. Statistical analysis used the chi(2) test. RESULTS: One hundred seventeen patients had surgery for anterior vaginal prolapse. Seventy had documentation of an intraoperative paravaginal support evaluation. Of these, 44 patients had vaginal procedures, and 26 had abdominal procedures. All patients had at least stage 2 prolapse before surgery, and all were noted to have excellent pelvic support 4 to 6 weeks after surgery. The prevalence of paravaginal defects at surgery was 47% on the right and 41% on the left. The sensitivity and negative predictive value for the clinical assessment for paravaginal defects were good on both the right and left sides, whereas the specificity and positive predictive values were poor. Stage of prolapse, previous hysterectomy, or previous anterior colporrhaphy did not significantly affect the accuracy of the clinical examination in predicting fascial defects. However, previous retropubic urethropexy did significantly decrease the accuracy of the clinical examination in predicting right paravaginal defects (P <.01) but not left. CONCLUSION: Although preoperative clinical assessment for paravaginal defects is useful, it does not substitute for careful intraoperative evaluation for endopelvic fascial defects.     

Breast conservation in breast cancer: surgical and adjuvant considerations

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Breast-conserving surgery is accepted as an alternative to mastectomy for the treatment of early breast cancer. This paper reviews the recent contributions to the literature, with special emphasis on breast-conserving surgery in the management of invasive breast cancer. RECENT FINDINGS: Long-term follow-up of randomized trials confirms that in women with early stage breast cancer, breast-conserving surgery achieves similar survival compared with mastectomy. Increase in early breast cancer detection, and efforts in patient and physician education are likely to enhance breast-conserving surgery use. Patients with locally advanced tumors may also become eligible for breast-conserving surgery after tumor downsizing with preoperative chemotherapy, with acceptable rates of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence. Efforts should be made to minimize the risk of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrences after breast-conserving surgery as they have been associated with worse distant-disease-free and breast cancer-specific survival rates. One of the most effective strategies to minimize ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence risk is to ensure negative surgical margins. This necessitates careful surgical planning, tumor localization, precise surgical technique and careful pathological processing. Radiation therapy is also a critical therapeutic tool to minimize the risk. Although the standard of care has been whole-breast irradiation, preliminary results with accelerated partial breast irradiation are promising. Adjuvant systemic therapy can further reduce the risk of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence, but it cannot replace adequate surgery and radiation therapy for achieving local control after breast-conserving surgery. SUMMARY: Breast-conserving surgery is confirmed to be appropriate therapy for patients with early stage breast cancer. Increasing numbers of patients are likely to be eligible for surgery in the future. Strategies to minimize the risk of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence while enhancing the convenience of breast-conserving surgery need to be pursued.     

Conservative management of extramammary Paget's disease of the vulva

Patients with extramammary Paget's disease of the vulva at the University of California--Irvine Medical Center and the Memorial Medical Center of Long Beach Women's Hospital between 1976 and 1986 were treated with nonradical surgery. These 14 patients were analyzed in a retrospective fashion to determine if conservative management was successful in eradicating the disease process while preserving appearance and sexual function. All patients were treated with nonradical surgery: skinning vulvectomy with split-thickness skin graft (86%), hemivulvectomy (7%), and simple vulvectomy (7%). In all cases intraoperative frozen-section analysis of surgical margins was performed to determine the extent of disease and outline the margins of resection. No patients had Paget's disease associated with an underlying adenocarcinoma. Three patients developed recurrent Paget's disease. Two of these patients recurred at the site of a positive margin and thus represent persistent disease. Only one patient (7%) had recurrent disease in the face of negative margins. The median duration of follow-up was 50 months. All patients are presently free of disease. The rationale for this conservative management is discussed.     

Negative laparoscopy is highly predictive of negative second-look laparotomy following chemotherapy for ovarian, tubal, and primary peritoneal carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To determine the negative predictive value of second-look laparoscopy compared to laparotomy for assessment of pathologic complete response (CR) in patients with epithelial ovarian, tubal, and peritoneal carcinoma who achieved a clinical CR. METHODS: Data were analyzed from patients who participated in two sequential phase II clinical trials following primary cytoreductive surgery. Both trials required surgical evaluation for pathologic CR in those patients who achieved clinical CR. Protocol specified that assessment begin with laparoscopy; if negative, conversion to laparotomy was required. Collection of peritoneal washings was performed laparoscopically. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-six patients entered the 2 sequential clinical trials. Ninety-nine patients achieved clinical CR and 95 underwent second-look surgery (SLO). Seventy patients began SLO with laparoscopy and converted to planned laparotomy after biopsies were negative. Eighteen cases were positive based on laparoscopy with frozen section. Five additional patients had peritoneal washings and/or permanent pathology positive based on laparoscopic findings, yielding a positive SLO rate of 32.9%. Four of the 52 patients who underwent laparotomy (7.7%) were found to have persistent disease that was not detected on laparoscopic biopsy or washings and represent false-negative laparoscopy; all four patients had disease at peritoneal-based sites. The sensitivity and negative predictive value for intraoperative diagnosis of persistent disease by laparoscopy were 66.6% and 82.7%, respectively. The sensitivity and negative predictive value of laparoscopic peritoneal biopsies and washings compared to laparotomy, as determined by final pathology, were 85.2% and 91.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: A negative second-look laparoscopy with negative peritoneal pathology and cytology is 91.5% predictive of negative laparotomy and is associated with a low complication rate even in the setting of prior extensive cytoreductive surgery. The small increase in sensitivity and negative predictive value afforded by laparotomy does not warrant the increased morbidity.     

Laparoskopie als Standard für gynäkologische Notfälle

Gynecological emergencies often require immediate surgical intervention. Diagnostics and therapy have changed in recent decades through improvements in technical developments. Despite improved diagnostic methods, such as ultrasound and biochemical laboratory blood analyses, it is very important to perform a thorough clinical examination and documentation of previous medical conditions. Using laparoscopy it is possible to perform surgery in an almost equivalent way compared to the previous gold standard of laparotomy but with the advantages of minimally invasive techniques. Because of less intraoperative tissue trauma and shorter periods of convalescence, laparoscopy has become the preferred method for diagnostic purposes in gynecological emergencies and can also be used during the same session for adequate surgical intervention.     

Ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence after conservative breast cancer surgery -- diagnosis and therapy

In spite of the fact that breast cancer is a systemic disease, local control plays an important role in its management. While surgical, radiotherapeutic and systemic therapy of primary breast cancer are performed according to widely accepted guidelines, the management of ipsilateral breast tumor relapse (IBTR) is still a matter of individualised concepts because of the lack of randomised studies. IBTR represents a significant medical problem, since the recurrence rate is 5-15 % after 5 years and 20-25 % after 10 years. Incidence is higher in younger patients, in tumors with an extensive intraductal component, positive tumor margins, axillary lymph node metastases, negative steroid hormone receptors and high proliferative activity. Distant metastases after IBTR occur more often if the interval between primary diagnosis and IBTR is short (e. g. less than 4 years). Diagnosis of IBTR include breast palpation, mammography and breast ultrasound. In addition breast MRI can be used to further differentiate between benign and malignant lesions after breast conservation. Standard therapy in this setting remains mastectomy. Breast-conserving surgery may be considered in the context of clinical trials for patients with certain favorable features. Breast irradiation after secondary breast-conservation can be carried out in some cases. Some local relapses after breast-conserving surgery have a poorer prognosis, and the addition of adjuvant systemic therapy should be considered in addition to mastectomy. The heterogeneous nature of locoregional relapses has made it difficult to conduct prospective randomized clinical trials. However, many retrospective data exist, making it possible to recommend rational treatment approaches for these patients.     

Surgical margin status and recurrence pattern in invasive vulvar Paget’s disease: A Japanese Gynecologic Oncology Group study

ObjectiveTo examine the association between surgical margin status and recurrence pattern in invasive vulvar Paget’s disease.MethodsThis is a preplanned secondary analysis of a previously organized nationwide retrospective study in Japan (JGOG-1075S). Women with stage I-IV invasive vulvar Paget’s disease who received surgical treatment from 2001-2010 were examined (n=139). Multivariable analysis was performed to assess local-recurrence, distant-recurrence, and all-cause mortality based on surgical margin status.ResultsThe median age was 70 years. The majority had stage I disease (61.2%), and the median tumor size was 5.0cm. Nodal metastasis was observed in 15.1%. Simple vulvectomy (46.0%) was the most common surgery type followed by radical vulvectomy (28.1%). More than half received vulvar reconstructive surgery (59.0%). Positive surgical margin was observed in 35.3%, and close margin <1cm was observed in 29.5%. Vulvectomy type was not associated with surgical margin status (P=0.424). The median follow-up was 5.8 years. Positive surgical margin was associated with increased local-recurrence (5-year cumulative rates for positive versus negative margin: 35.8% versus 15.0%, P=0.010) but not distant-recurrence (18.3% versus 16.0%, P=0.567). Positive surgical margin was also associated with increased all-cause mortality (5-year overall survival rates for positive versus negative margin: 72.6% versus 88.2%, P=0.032). In multivariable analysis, positive surgical margin remained an independent factor associated with increased risk of local-recurrence (hazard ratio 2.80, 95% confidence interval 1.18-6.63) and all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 2.87, 95% confidence interval 1.20-6.83).ConclusionPositive surgical margin appears to be common in invasive vulvar Paget’s disease that is associated with increased local-recurrence and all-cause mortality risks. Role of alternative surgical technique or adjuvant therapy merits further investigation to improve local disease control.     

Pre and Intraoperative Diagnosis of Ovarian Tumours: How Accurate Are We?

Summary: In the assessment of malignant potential of ovarian tumours, frozen section has been found to be accurate in 97.1% (168 of 173) of cases. The positive predictive value of frozen section in the diagnosis of a malignant lesion was 100% (34 of 34). Errors were mainly made in the diagnosis of borderline tumours with a predictive value of 87.5% (7 of 8). The negative predictive value was 98.4% (127 of 129). Frozen section however, was less accurate in the diagnosis of specific histological type with an accuracy rate of 91.9% (159 of 173). Macroscopic features were found to be useful in the intraoperative prediction of malignant potential. Completely cystic tumours were benign in 96.4% (108 of 167) of cases. Solid/cystic tumours were malignant in 69% (27 of 38) of cases. Completely solid tumours were malignant in 56% (9 of 16) of cases. Frozen section in completely cystic tumours only marginally improved the clinical macroscopic diagnosis of malignancy. The sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound scan in the diagnosis of malignant/borderline tumours were 82% and 86% respectively. The false negative rate of 7% makes laparoscopic excision of unsuspected malignant ovarian cyst a significant possibility. The predictive value of ultrasound scan in the diagnosis of malignant ovarian tumour was 62% (26 of 42). In the preoperative assessment of malignant potential of ovarian tumours, this study shows that ultrasound scan has a high false positive and a significant false negative rate. Careful intraoperative assessment of gross features and the use of frozen section especially in those with solid/cystic and solid tumours will help achieve a high accuracy rate in the assessment of ovarian tumours.     

Interest of preoperative lymphoscintigraphy on sentinel lymph node identification in patients with breast cancer

Sentinel lymph node biopsy is nowadays an accepted method of staging breast cancer patients. In case of an injection of radioactive colloid, preoperative lymphoscintigraphy is recommended to establish a lymphatic mapping and to predict the number of sentinel lymph nodes identified during surgery. Preoperative lymphoscintigraphy does not decrease the false-negative rate. However, positive preoperative lymphoscintigraphy significantly improves the identification rate of intraoperative sentinel nodes comparing with negative preoperative lymphoscintigraphy. Detecting extra-axillary sentinel lymph nodes, because of its minimal therapeutic consequences, does not appear to be an indication for preoperative lymphoscintigraphy. Given logistics and cost required, preoperative lymphoscintigraphy should be only performed for patients with a high risk of intraoperative failed localization. In case of negative preoperative lymphoscintigraphy, sentinel lymph node biopsy must be tried because sentinel nodes are still identified in the majority of these patients. Another possibility, with important cost and logistic, should consist in performing a later lymphoscintigraphy on the day after radioactive injection to ameliorate sentinel lymph nodes identification.     

Primary radiation therapy as an alternative to mastectomy for early-stage breast cancer

Breast conservation surgery followed by radiation therapy for definitive treatment of patients with early stage (limited extent) breast cancer (Stage I and Stage II) has been reported by several retrospective and prospective randomized trials to provide comparable local control, disease-free survival, and overall survival to patients treated with mastectomy. Excisional biopsy of the breast lump and associated axillary dissection are required prior to initiation of radiation therapy in order to remove all known tumor and to reduce the dose of radiation required for cure. The axillary dissection is therapeutic for extension into the axillary volume as well as a prognosticator that aids in the selection of patients for adjuvant systemic therapy. Although certain patients may be adequately served without radiation therapy by excisional removal of the tumor and a margin of surrounding normal breast tissue, this population still needs to be defined. Adequate patient selection and the use of good surgical and radiation therapy techniques results in good to excellent cosmesis in 80 to 90 per cent of treated patients. The treatment alternatives, if presented to patients deemed as appropriate candidates, will aid the patients in making an informed consent decision. Wider application and availability of this alternative to mastectomy may have a significant positive impact on our female population by encouraging women to seek detection of breast cancer through breast self-examination and mammography because the desirable alternative reduces the fear of loss of the breast and self image.     

Brusterhaltende Karzinomchirurgie

Over approximately the last 30 years there has been a positive development towards breast conserving surgery in the treatment of breast cancer. That this is not a disadvantage for the patients has been proven in long-term trials. In cases of an unfavorable tumor-breast volume relationship or tumour site there was a need for new surgical techniques to maintain the breast conserving concept. Oncoplastic surgery combines aesthetic surgery techniques with standard procedures for tumor resection. There is the option to excise larger tumor volumes while resulting in good cosmetic outcomes. The re-excision rate is lower with comparable local recurrence and survival rates (5-year follow-up). Thus oncoplastic breast surgery contributes to increasing the safety of the patient.     

Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology in staging clinically node-negative invasive breast cancer

The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of ultrasound (US)-guided axillary lymph node fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in staging clinically node-negative invasive breast cancer. Based on retrospective data, we analyzed sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value and efficacy of preoperative axillary US-guided FNAC. A total of 108 consecutive female patients with histological-confirmed invasive breast cancer between January 2006 and December 2010 were included. The management decisions were based on cytological results. Twenty-two patients underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy and 86 remaining patients benefited of primary surgery. Patients with positive cytology or included in neoadjuvant regimens were scheduled for axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), while patient with negative or nondiagnostic cytology underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy. Axillary US-guided FNAC was compared with definitive pathology of surgically removed lymph nodes. Axillary metastases were found in 55 out of 108 patients (50.9%). In these cases we proceeded with ALND. Excluding the group benefiting from neoadjuvant chemotherapy, we could spare a second surgical intervention for 37 out of 86 patients (43%). The axillary US with FNAC has a sensitivity of 73%, a specificity of 85%, a positive predictive value of 89%, and a negative predictive value of 66%. Without taking into account the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group, in which the statistical analyzes might be biased by the complete histological response, specificity and positive predictive value increased to 100% and negative predictive value to 71%. US combined with FNAC of axillary lymph nodes is a simple, minimally invasive, and reproducible diagnostic approach in improving the preoperative axillary staging of invasive breast cancer patients.     

Sentinel-Lymphknotenentfernung beim Mammakarzinom – neue Indikationen

Sentinel node excision (SLNE) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that can be applied to identify the nodal status in breast cancer in a targeted fashion. SLNE is established as the standard procedure for axillary staging in primarily operable, early breast cancer and substantially attenuates the radicality of surgery, since complete axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) is carried out only in node-positive patients. Extension of the spectrum of indications for SLNE has been discussed. Therefore SLNE is now evaluated more and more often in patient subgroups in which indications are not unrestricted or there are even contraindications for the procedure according to current recommendations, such as patients with large tumor size, multicentric cancer, neoadjuvant treatment and positive lymph nodes before surgery. In addition, the questions of whether every node-positive patient should be treated by ALND and whether a second SLNE can be carried out in the situation of locoregional recurrence are discussed.     

A comparison of clinical assessment with ultrasound in the management of secondary postpartum haemorrhage

OBJECTIVE: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of clinical assessment with transabdominal ultrasound in the management of secondary postpartum haemorrhage (PPH). DESIGN: A prospective cohort study. METHODS: Fifty-three women who presented to a teaching hospital obstetric unit with secondary PPH were studied. Patients were divided into those in whom retained placental tissue was or was not the suspected cause of bleeding. This diagnosis was based on history/examination and transabdominal pelvic ultrasound scan. The definitive diagnosis was made following uterine evacuation or was assumed in women who stopped bleeding without surgical management. Likelihood ratio (LR) was used as an accuracy measure. RESULTS: The positive LR for clinical assessment was 5.5 (95% CI 2.7-12.1) compared with 2.4 (95% CI 1.5-3.7) for ultrasound. The negative LRs were 0.1 (95% CI 0.04-0.5) and 0.1 (95% CI 0.02-0.5) for clinical and ultrasound assessment, respectively. CONCLUSION: Clinical examination and ultrasound scan assessment have limited diagnostic accuracy in secondary PPH.     

经阴道植入网片手术并发症的理解与认识

经阴道植入网片（transvaginal mesh,TVM）手术是广泛应用于盆腔器官脱垂（pelvic organ prolapse,POP）治疗的手术术式。理解与认识TVM手术并发症,从而有效预防并发症的发生是提高手术安全性、减少不良预后的关键。降低TVM手术并发症的发生率,既要求术者要对盆底疾病有正确的理解与认识及准确的诊断,做好术前准确的评估,又要求术者具有完善的手术操作技能,以及丰富的盆底手术分离、穿刺等技术的临床经验。同时围手术期的护理和术后维护,也是预防术后并发症的发生应当注意的问题。     

经阴道植入网片手术并发症的理解与认识

经阴道植入网片（transvaginal mesh,TVM）手术是广泛应用于盆腔器官脱垂（pelvic organ prolapse,POP）治疗的手术术式。理解与认识TVM手术并发症,从而有效预防并发症的发生是提高手术安全性、减少不良预后的关键。降低TVM手术并发症的发生率,既要求术者要对盆底疾病有正确的理解与认识及准确的诊断,做好术前准确的评估,又要求术者具有完善的手术操作技能,以及丰富的盆底手术分离、穿刺等技术的临床经验。同时围手术期的护理和术后维护,也是预防术后并发症的发生应当注意的问题。     

The impact of presurgical magnetic resonance in early breast cancer: an observational study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of presurgical breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on the surgical management of selected patients with early-stage breast cancer who were candidates for BCT. The sample was built up according to the EUSOMA (European Society of Breast Cancer Specialists) recommendations enrolling women with unifocal unilateral early-stage breast carcinoma diagnosed by mammography, ultrasound (US) examination and in some cases also by histological analysis; all were scheduled for wider local excision. All eligible patients underwent presurgical breast MRI and findings were classified according to the BI-RADS system. In the presence of additional foci classified as BI-RADS 3-4, a targeted second-look US study was performed. If second-look US confirmed the presence of foci, needle biopsy was performed. Possible changes in the therapeutic approach resulting from preoperative MRI findings were decided upon by a multidisciplinary team. Outcome of histological examination of the surgical specimen and particularly analysis of tumor infiltration of the resection margins was the standard for determining the appropriateness of surgical strategy. A total of 123 patients underwent presurgical breast MRI. Additional foci were detected in 41.6% of patients, a greater local extension of the index lesion in 6.4%, whereas MRI confirmed local staging established by conventional imaging in 52%. However, 13.8% of additional foci were not confirmed by second-look and needle biopsy. More extensive surgery as a result of MRI findings was performed in 34.2%. This decision proved to be appropriate in 29.3% thus resulting in an over-treatment rate of 4.9%. Presurgical breast MRI resulted in confirmation of planned surgical strategy in 65.8% with an appropriateness rate of 54.5%. Surgical resection margins were positive for malignancy in 11.3% and repeated surgery was therefore required. Therapeutic strategy established on the basis of MRI was appropriate in 83.8% of cases. This study confirms the utility of MRI in presurgical workup of selected breast cancer patients. The results obtained suggest the importance of a sensitive tool such as MRI in the local staging of breast cancer before treatment planning.     

Sentinel node biopsy in breast cancer and primary tumor dimension

INTRODUCTION: Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy, primary used as an alternative to elective lymph node dissection in melanoma, is being applied successfully in management of patients with breast cancer. The aim of this method in breast cancer is to determine the presence of axillary node involvement while clinically normal axilla. The validity of the sentinel node concept in breast cancer is demonstrated in various studies. The results of identification rates, sensitivity, overall accuracy and false negative rate are so encouraging in most publications, as to implement this concept to every-day surgical practice. There is lack, however, of many fundamental answers pertaining relationship between tumor-size and the results of SLN Biopsy or related surgical standards. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 36 females at the age 33-66, with breast cancer underwent primary surgical treatment with SLN Biopsy in Department of Gynaecology and Oncology Jagiellonian University between 2001-2002. The study inclusion criteria were tumour size-T1, T2. The day before surgery the static scanning was performed after injection of Tc radiolabelled nannocolloid. SLN(s) were identified intraoperatively using a handheld gamma detection probe (Navigator GPS) and intraoperative lymphatic mapping with blue dye (Patent Blau V). After localization and excision of SLN(s), axillary's lymph node dissection (ALND) was performed. RESULTS: In 34 patients SLN Biopsy revealed accumulation of the tracer in axilla, which was classified as SLN. Detection rate was 94.4% (34/36). Overall sensitivity of the procedure was 81%, whereas negative predictive value 92%. False negative rate was 2.2%. Detection rate for T1 tumors was 100% (15/15 cases), and for T2 tumors was 90.4% (19/21 cases). Sensitivity for tumor classified as T1 was 100% (3/3 cases), whereas for tumor T2 was 75% (6/8 cases). CONCLUSION: SLN Biopsy seems to be very interesting alternative to ALND in patients with small tumor's dimension.