Reevaluation of parasternal lymph node dissection in the treatment of mammary cancer.

One hundred and forty one patients with mammary cancer underwent the extended radical mastectomy with parasternal lymph nodes dissection between January, 1966 and December, 1974. From the basis of the present report involvement of parasternaly lymph node chain was evaluated retrospectively with respect to the stage, location, size, histological type of cancer, metastasis to axillary and subclavicular lymph nodes, and the five-year survival rate. The parasternal as well as subclavicular and axillary lymph node involvements were not found in non-infiltrating cancer. The more the stage of cancer advanced, the more frequently the parasternal lymph nodes were involved regardless of the location of cancer in the breast. The parasternal lymph node chain alone was rarely involved, but frequently affected along with the axillary lymph nodes. When the parasternal lymph nodes were involved, the five-year survival rate was extremely poor, even after their surgical removal. Subsequently, addition of parasternal lymph node dissection does not seem to be beneficial.     

I，II期乳腺癌部分腋窝淋巴结清扫术远期疗效分析

目的探讨I,II期乳腺癌部分腋窝淋巴结清扫术对乳腺癌患者的预后及上肢功能的影响。方法随机选择临床I,II期乳腺癌部分腋窝淋巴结清扫组(PAL)及全腋窝淋巴结清扫组(TAL)各1 1 0例。PAL组行乳腺癌改良根治术加部分腋窝淋巴结(I,II组淋巴结)清扫术,TAL组行乳腺癌改良根治术加全腋窝淋巴结清扫术。比较术后远期复发及上肢功能状况。结果随访5~1 0年,PAL组胸部局部复发4例,占3.8%(4/1 0 6),腋窝淋巴结复发转移1例;TAL组胸部局部复发5例,占4.9%(5/1 0 3),无腋窝淋巴结复发转移;两组差异无显著性(P>0.0 5)。PAL组发生患肢水肿及功能障碍5例,占4.7%(5/1 0 6);TAL组1 2例,占1 1.7%(1 2/1 0 3),差异有极显著性(P<0.01)。两组5年和1 0年生存率均无明显统计学差异。结论I,II期乳腺癌实施使PAL可减少患肢的术后功能障碍,不增加预后风险。     

Randomized clinical trial comparing level II and level III axillary node dissection in addition to mastectomy for breast cancer

BACKGROUND: In addition to mastectomy, level II and level III axillary node dissection procedures are performed widely in Japan. A randomized clinical trial was performed to determine which procedure was more effective. METHODS: One group of women had resection of the pectoralis minor muscle and dissection of level I, II and III axillary lymph nodes (level III dissection). In a second group, the pectoralis minor muscle was left intact and level III axillary lymph node dissection was not performed (level II dissection). A total of 1209 women with stage II breast cancer were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to one of the two groups. RESULTS: The 10-year cumulative survival rate was 86.6 per cent after level II and 85.7 per cent after level III axillary dissection (hazard ratio (HR) 1.02; P = 0.931, log rank test). The 10-year disease-free survival rate was 73.3 and 77.8 per cent respectively (HR 0.94, P = 0.666). Overall survival and disease-free survival rates in the two groups were similar after both procedures. The duration of surgery was significantly shorter (P < 0.001) and blood loss was significantly less (P = 0.001) after level II dissection. In a survey of patients' symptoms on follow-up, no significant differences were found between the two procedures. CONCLUSION: The addition of pectoralis minor muscle resection and level III axillary lymph node dissection to mastectomy for stage II breast cancer did not improve overall or disease-free survival rates.     

Radical mastectomy with parasternal node dissection or radiation to the parasternal region for breast cancer of medial or central location

In order to establish a therapeutic approach for primary breast cancer of medial and central origin, we reviewed 183 patients who had been treated by one of the following three modalities at the Second Department of Surgery, Osaka University Medical School between January, 1965 and December, 1980. Group A (n=70): standard radical mastectomy alone; Group B (n=34): standard radical mastectomy followed by postoperative irradiation to the parasternal and supraclavicular regions, and; Group C (n=62): extended radical mastectomy that included removal of the parasternal lymph nodes. The background factors of the three groups were not significantly different. The overall survival five and ten years following surgery in the three groups were 91 per cent and 79 per cent in group A, 82 per cent and 67 per cent in group B, and 82 per cent and 70 per cent in group C, respectively, showing no significant difference in overall survival among the three groups. When the patients were classified according to the extent of axillary lymph node involvement, there was no difference in survival among the three treatments in patients who had less than three lymph node metastases in the axilla. However, treatment of the parasternal lymph nodes improved survival in the patients who had more than four lymph node metastases in the axilla. Parasternal lymph node involvement definitely worsened the prognosis, showing it to be a good prognostic factor. Thus, extended radical mastectomy should be considered for patients with breast cancer of medial or central location, when extended axillary lymph node involvement is found.     

Axillary lymph node dissection in clinically node-positive breast cancer

Many Japanese surgeons think that clinically node-positive breast cancer is already a systemic disease. However, about 60% of surgeons believe that the survival rate increases with axillary lymph node dissection. Furthermore, 64% of surgeons change the area of axillary lymph node dissection based on the intraoperative diagnosis of lymph node metastases. We analyzed axillary lymph node dissection in clinically node-positive breast cancer using evidence-based medicine. We recommend that the level I and II axillary dissection be the preferred procedure and that the removal of level III axillary nodes is not necessary for staging. However, if grossly positive nodes are identified intraoperatively, a level III dissection should be carried out to maximize local control.     

201例乳腺癌患者腋淋巴结转移的临床研究

目的 探讨乳腺癌腋窝肿块的位置、大小与腋窝淋巴结转移的关系。方法 应用SPSS13．0统计分析软件，前瞻性分析2000年11月至2007年10月间201例乳腺癌患者腋窝I、Ⅱ、Ⅲ组以及胸肌间淋巴结（Rotter）转移情况。结果 201例乳腺癌患者中，腋窝淋巴结存在转移者104例（51．74％）；随肿瘤体积的增大，腋窝I、Ⅱ、Ⅲ组淋巴结的转移率均明显增高；外、中、内三个带区的乳腺癌在各级腋淋巴结的转移率上无显著统计学差异；胸肌间淋巴结发现率和转移率较低。结论 应重视对乳腺癌患者尤其是肿瘤体积大、分期晚的病人腋窝Ⅲ组淋巴结的清扫；不应随意放弃全腋淋巴结清扫术；不应将肿瘤的生长位置作为判断腋窝淋巴结是否存在转移的依据；在手术过程中应当将胸肌间淋巴结一并清扫。     

Level of axillary involvement by lymph node metastases from breast cancer is not an independent predictor of survival

We examined the relationship of axillary level of lymph node metastases from clinical stage I and II breast cancer to overall survival and disease-free survival rates in 135 patients who underwent complete axillary lymph node dissection to determine if anatomic level of axillary involvement (I vs II vs III) is an independent prognostic factor. All patients underwent either modified radical mastectomy or lumpectomy with axillary dissection and whole breast radiotherapy for breast cancer. Median follow-up was 6.9 years. We found no difference in overall survival or disease-free survival between patients whose highest or only level of axillary involvement was level I compared with patients whose highest or only level was II. Although patients whose highest level of nodal involvement was III had significantly worse overall survival and disease-free survival rates than patients whose highest nodal involvement was I or II, when patients were stratified by the total number of positive nodes (one to three vs four or more), there was no difference in overall survival or disease-free survival rates between levels I, II, and III. These findings indicate that the level of axillary involvement for stage II breast cancer is not of independent prognostic significance.     

Factors Affecting Lymph Node Yield in Patients Undergoing Axillary Node Dissection for Primary Breast Cancer: A Single-Institution Review

Background

A minimum of 10 level I/II axillary nodes is recommended for accurate breast cancer staging. The goal of this study was to assess the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on lymph node yield at axillary lymph node dissection.

Methods

A single-institution National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) breast cancer database was queried for cases with axillary node dissection from 2000 to 2008. All dissections were performed at the same institution. Demographic, chemotherapy, and clinicopathologic data were collected. Age and body mass index at diagnosis were calculated for subset analyses. Statistical analyses used Student??s t-test or analysis of variance with Tukey multiple comparison and Fisher??s exact test.

Results

Two hundred forty patients had axillary node dissection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy; an additional 903 women with primary lymph node dissection were identified as contemporaneous control subjects. There was a far lower nodal yield in patients undergoing axillary dissection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy than those undergoing primary surgery. Patients with pathologic stage II or III disease undergoing primary surgery had more lymph nodes at axillary dissection than stage I disease.

Conclusions

Age, type of breast surgery, body mass index, and clinical stage have no effect on yield of lymph nodes at axillary lymph node dissection. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, however, is associated with a far fewer nodes at axillary dissection, and alteration of the guidelines should be considered for this population of patients.     

乳腺癌腔镜前哨淋巴结活检83例临床分析

目的探讨染料法腔镜腋窝前哨淋巴结活检在乳腺癌中的可行性和临床意义。方法应用亚甲蓝染色法对83例Ⅰ、Ⅱ期乳腺癌行腔镜前哨淋巴结活检(ESLNB),然后行腔镜腋窝淋巴结清扫(EALND)。对获取的全部淋巴结行病理检查,评价前哨淋巴结检出率、准确率及假阴性率。结果83例中73例检出前哨淋巴结,检出率87.9%(73/83)。ESLNB准确率97.3%(71/73),灵敏性88.2%(15/17),特异性100.0%(56/56)。结论染料法腔镜腋窝前哨淋巴结活检临床可行,能够对早期乳腺癌进行准确分期,但体重指数高、肿瘤部位在内侧、术前肿瘤切除活检、腔镜技术欠熟练等是影响前哨淋巴结检出的主要因素。     

Video-axillaroscopy: a new mini-invasive technique for surgical exploration of the axillary region

Subclavicular lymph nodes are one of the deeper lymph node groups of the lymphatic network located in the axillary region. As its location is surrounded by vessels and nerves, biopsy of subclavicular lymph nodes is not possible without eye control. We describe a new, mini-invasive technique for accessing the thoracic outlet region. Video-axillaroscopy is a reliable mini-invasive technique for targeting biopsies of lymph nodes in the axillary region. It is safer and more accurate than radio-guided techniques. Exploration of this region might benefit treatment of lymphoma and breast cancer and applications might emerge for thoracic outlet syndromes.     

Survival benefits of and indications for extended surgery for advanced gastric cancer]

The surgical management of locally advanced gastric cancer remains controversial. It is also unclear whether the postoperative survival rate could be improved by extended lymph node dissection. The aim of this paper is to determine the survival benefit of and the indications for extended surgery. Lymph node metastasis in the paraaortic area frequently occurs in locally advanced cardiac cancer. In our previous studies, the paraaortic lymph nodes above and below the left renal vein were confirmed to be the terminal destination of lymphatic flow in the upper abdominal cavity. Paraaortic lymph node dissection is essential for curarive resection in some cases of advanced gastric cancer. The 5-year survival rate in patients who undergo paraaortic lymph node dissection is nearly 15% according to the literature. Patients with metastasis of the paraaortic lymph nodes on only one side and with fewer than four involved nodes clearly benefit from paraaortic lymph node dissection. It is indicated in cases with metastasis or suspected metastasis of the left or right cardiac lymph node or N2 lymph node station. There is little survival benefit from combined resection of involved organs (T4 disease) and it should only be performed in a select group of patients. Extended surgery for locally advanced gastric cancer, however, is feasible and has acceptable operative morbidity and mortality rates.     

Nonsentinel lymph node status after positive sentinel lymph node biopsy in early breast cancer

Axillary dissection is the current standard of care for patients with breast cancer who are diagnosed with metastasis to axillary sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs). Recently, that concept has come under increasing scrutiny because not all women with a positive SLN will need further dissection. The purpose of this study was to look at nonsentinel lymph node status in patients with breast cancer and axillary SLN metastasis in an effort to determine tumor variables that can guide further treatment if there are additional axillary nodes involved. A retrospective chart review was performed on patients with breast cancer who underwent SLN biopsy between July 1998 and April 2003. Chi2 analysis, Student t test, and multivariate analysis were used to determine the significance of tumor size, grade, location, estrogen receptor (ER) and progestrone receptor (PR) receptor status, angiolymphatic invasion, stage, and number and size of SLNs in predicting the status of nonsentinel lymph nodes. During the study interval, 116 patients were identified who underwent SLN biopsy and 34 (29.3%) had positive SLNs. All of these patients underwent complete axillary node dissection and 11 patients (32.3%) had non-SLN metastasis. The presence of palpable breast mass (P = 0.03), tumor size (P = 0.04), angiolymphatic invasion (P = 0.03), and extracapsular extension of SLN metastasis (P = 0.001) were the variables that predicted non-SLN involvement. Micrometastasis was inversely related to non-SLN involvement. In patients with breast cancer and SLN metastasis, the presence of a palpable breast mass, tumor size, angiolymphatic invasion, and extracapsular node extension increase the likelihood of identifying additional node metastasis on subsequent axillary dissection.     

内镜辅助治疗乳腺癌16例临床分析

目的:探讨内镜下腋窝淋巴结清扫并保留乳头、乳晕的皮下全乳腺腺体切除术治疗乳腺癌的可行性及其优势。方法:为16例Ⅰ、Ⅱ期乳腺癌患者行内镜腋窝淋巴结清扫术,同时行保留乳头、乳晕的皮下全乳腺腺体切除术。结果:16例均成功完成保留乳头、乳晕的皮下全乳腺腺体切除术;内镜下行腋窝淋巴结清扫术的每例患者取出淋巴结8～26枚,平均15.6枚,6例发现1～5枚转移淋巴结。术后患者常规综合治疗,随访1.2～4.1年,死亡1例,失访2例,出现乳腺癌远处转移3例,其他病例无局部复发、患肢水肿及严重感觉运动障碍等并发症发生。结论:借助内镜器械,通过腋窝处微小隐蔽切口即可完成腋窝淋巴结清扫术,同时可行保留乳头、乳晕的全乳腺腺体皮下切除术,以此术式代替常规乳腺癌根治术,在保证疗效的前提下,极大地减少了并发症的发生率,有良好的功能和美容效果。     

Sentinel lymph node mapping following neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of sentinel lymph node mapping in patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast carcinoma prior to lumpectomy or mastectomy and sentinel lymph node mapping followed by complete axillary dissection. A retrospective analysis of 14 patients from February 1998 to July 2000 with stage I to stage IIIB breast cancer diagnosed by core biopsy underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide) prior to definitive surgery, including lumpectomy or mastectomy and sentinel lymph node mapping, followed by full axillary dissection. Thirteen of 14 patients had successful sentinel lymph node identification (93%), and all 14 underwent full axillary dissection. An average of 2.2 sentinel nodes and a median of 16 axillary lymph nodes (including sentinel nodes) were found per patient. Of the 13 patients in whom a sentinel lymph node was identified, 10 were positive for metastases (77%). Only 4 of the 10 had further axillary metastases (40%). Three patients had negative sentinel lymph nodes shown by hematoxylin and eosin and cytokeratin stainings and had no axillary metastases (0% false negative). The single patient in whom a sentinel lymph node could not be identified had stage IIIA disease with extensive lymphatic tumor emboli. Sentinel lymph node mapping is feasible in neoadjuvant chemotherapy breast cancer patients and can spare a significant number of patients the morbidity of full axillary dissection. Further study to evaluate sentinel lymph node mapping in this patient population is warranted.     

超声定位下可疑淋巴结取样在早期乳腺癌手术中的临床研究

目的 探讨早期乳腺癌更为合理的腋窝淋巴结处理方法,明确腋窝可疑淋巴结取样结合前哨淋巴结活检(SLNB)替代单纯SLNB时的假阴性率是否明显降低,为临床应用提供依据.方法 采用传统的腋窝淋巴结外科学分群方法,对符合入组条件的42例早期乳腺癌患者术前行B超引导下钩丝定位,术中行腋窝SLNB和定位的可疑淋巴结活检,再行全腋窝...     

不同术式对T_1乳腺癌病人的疗效评估

目的：探讨不同术式对Ｔ１乳腺癌的疗效。方法：观察Ｈａｌｓｔｅｄ术、改良根治术和乳房象限切除加腋淋巴结清扫术对２７４例Ｔ１乳腺癌病人预后的影响;并分析全部病人的腋淋巴结转移情况。结果：Ｔ１乳腺癌病人１０年生存率为８４．７％;标准根治术与改良根治术后病人的１０年生存率分别为８０．５石％和８４．１％（Ｐ＞０．０５）;乳房象限切除加腋淋巴结清除术与根治术相比,Ｔ１Ｎ０Ｍ０病人的１０年生存率分别为１００％和９０．４％（Ｐ＞０．０５）;全组腋淋巴结转移率为２７．７％;９７．４％的转移淋巴结位于低位组。结论：３种术式治疗Ｔ１乳腺癌病人的效果相同,从美观及心理因素上考虑,提倡行保守性手术;２／３以上Ｔ１病人无腋淋巴结转移,一律行腋淋巴结清除对预后意义不大,前哨淋巴结活检可以解决这一问题;腋淋巴结转移绝大多数在低位组,在不能进行前哨淋巴结活检的情况下,可仅清除低、中位淋巴结。     

Five year results of radical mastectomy for breast cancer, by a sternal splitting, intrapleural en bloc resection of the internal mammary lymph nodes

A new operative method of extended radical mastectomy enables complete resection of the axillary and internal mammary lymph nodes. In this paper, we present the histological analysis of the internal mammary involvement, and the estimated 5 year survival rate, of 100 patients with breast cancer of Stage I, II or III, who underwent this operation. The incidences of axillary and internal mammary involvements were 41 per cent and 17 per cent, respectively. The metastases in the internal mammary lymph node chain were located from just below the supraclavicular vein to the third intercostal space along the internal mammary vessels. The types of lymphatic invasion observed in the internal mammary chain were lymph node metastases in 88 per cent, metastatic lesion in the lymphoid tissue in 29 per cent and cancer cell emboli in the lymphatic channel in 71 per cent. The overall estimated 5 year survival rate was 90.5 per cent. Where there was internal mammary involvement, the estimated 5 year survival rates for those with no axillary lymph node metastasis, those with fewer than 3 metastatic axillary lymph nodes, and those with more than 4 metastatic axillary lymph nodes were 100 per cent, 80 per cent and 31.2 per cent, respectively. Although the assumption that more aggressive surgical removal of the primary lesion and the regional lymphatic spread gives a higher cure rate has not been proved, this extended radical mastectomy with adjuvant chemoendocrine therapy seems to give a higher 5 year survival rate for patients with internal mammary involvement.     

Sentinel Node Biopsy: Standard of Care

Abstract: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a less invasive alternative to axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for staging breast cancer. In appropriate women, this procedure can stage the axilla with less extensive surgery and fewer complications. Sentinel node status is accurate in predicting axillary status based on single institutional experiences and confirmed by large multi‐center trials. Non‐sentinel nodes are involved very rarely if the sentinel node is tumor‐free. SLNB enables intense examination of a single lymph node. However, the use of special stains to detect micrometastases is of uncertain clinical significance and is the subject of large trials. Early follow‐up from the John Wayne Cancer Institute experience demonstrates excellent outcome for patients with either micrometastases or tumor‐free nodes. Results from techniques with either blue dye or radioisotope colloid tracer and injection locations at peri‐areolar, peritumoral, or subcutaneous sites are similar. These findings support the biological concept of a single (or very few) sentinel nodes for the entire breast. The sentinel node is more predictive of axillary status than any other tumor prognostic factor. Axillary lymph node dissection is unlikely to reveal nodal metastases when the sentinel node is tumor‐free, and in such cases there is no reason to perform a completion axillary node dissection. Sentinel node biopsy alone without axillary lymph node dissection should now be the standard of care for most clinically node‐negative women with breast cancer.     

Five year results of radical mastectomy for breast cancer,by a sternal splitting,intrapleuralen bloc resection of the internal mammary lymph nodes

A new operative method of extended radical mastectomy enables complete resection of the axillary and internal mammary lymph nodes. In this paper, we present the histological analysis of the internal mammary involvement, and the estimated 5 year survival rate, of 100 patients with breast cancer of Stage I, II or III, who underwent this operation. The incidences of axillary and internal mammary involvements were 41 per cent and 17 per cent, respectively. The metastases in the internal mammary lymph node chain were located from just below the supraclavicular vein to the third intercostal space along the internal mammary vessels. The types of lymphatic invasion observed in the internal mammary chain were lymph node metastases in 88 per cent, metastatic lesion in the lymphoid tissue in 29 per cent and cancer cell emboli in the lymphatic channel in 71 per cent. The overall estimated 5 year survival rate was 90.5 per cent. Where there was internal mammary involvement, the estimated 5 year survival rates for those with no axillary lymph node metastasis, those with fewer than 3 metastatic axillary lymph nodes, and those with more than 4 metastatic axillary lymph nodes were 100 per cent, 80 per cent and 31.2 per cent, respectively. Although the assumption that more aggressive surgical removal of the primary lesion and the regional lymphatic spread gives a higher cure rate has not been proved, this extended radical mastectomy with adjuvant chemoendocrine therapy seems to give a higher 5 year survival rate for patients with internal mammary involvement.     

A new method of modified radical mastectomy for breast cancer

We have developed a new type of modified radical mastectomy, the method and clinical results of which are reported herein. In this operation, axillary dissection is performed by the following two approaches. Firstly, the axillary contents are dissected from the highest possible subclavicular point to the pectoralis minor muscle, after partially cutting the sternocostal origin of the pectoralis major muscle. The second approach is from the posterior aspect of the pectoralis minor muscle to the lateral portion of the latissimus dorsi muscle. Parasternal dissection can also be performed for stage II and IIIa cancers with a central or medial tumor. After lymph node dissection, the detached edge of the sternocostal origin of the pectoralis major muscle is resutured to cover the parasternal region. Thus, complete dissection of the axillary nodes is performed whilst preserving the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor muscles. Good clinical results were achieved with respect to radicality, cosmetic effects and function in 28 patients with stage I, II and IIIa breast cancers who were followed up for between 5 to 8 years. This new operation may therefore be adopted for the majority of patients with Stage I, II, or IIIa cancers, unless massive infiltration into the pectoralis major muscle has occurred. Preservation of both the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor muscles results in a good cosmetic appearance, good functioning of the arm and easy reconstruction of the breast following mastectomy.