Sites of Failure in Breast Cancer Patients with Extracapsular Invasion of Axillary Lymph Node Metastases

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Extracapsular spread (ECS) is frequent, but the specific sites of relapse are seldom given in the literature. In this study it was evaluated, if ECS might be an indicator for axillary irradiation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: After a retrospective review of pathology reports, the information about ECS was available in 254 lymph node-positive patients: ECS was absent in 34% (ECS-negative; n = 87) and present in 66% (ECS-positive; n = 167). All patients were irradiated locally, 78 patients got periclavicular and 74 axillary irradiation (median total dose: 50.4 Gy). 240/254 patients (94.5%) received systemic treatment/s. Mean follow-up was 46 months. RESULTS: The regional relapse rate was 4.6% without ECS versus 9.6% with ECS. The 5-year axillary relapse-free survival was 100% in ECS-negative and 90% in ECS-positive patients (p = 0.01), whereas corresponding values for periclavicular relapse-free survival (with ECS: 91% +/- 4%; without ECS: 94% +/- 3%; p = 0.77) and local relapse-free survival (with ECS: 86% +/- 4%; without ECS: 91% +/- 3%; p = 0.69) were not significantly different. chi(2)-tests revealed a high correlation of ECS with T-stage, number of positive lymph nodes and progesterone receptor status, comparisons with estrogen receptor, grade, or age were not significant. In multivariate analysis number of positive lymph nodes was solely significant for regional failure. Dividing the patients into those with one to three and those with four or more positive lymph nodes, ECS lost its significance for axillary failure. CONCLUSION: ECS was accompanied by an enhanced axillary failure rate in univariate analysis, which was no longer true after adjusting for the number of positive lymph nodes.     

18F-FDG PET/CT with Contrast Enhancement for Evaluation of Axillary Lymph Node Involvement in T1 Breast Cancer

Background

¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) positron emission tomography ((PET) safely predicts axillary status in patients with breast cancer, but is not sufficiently accurate in early breast cancer patients. This study analyzed the value of ¹⁸F-FDG PET/computed tomography (CT) with contrast enhancement in detecting axillary lymph node involvement in T1 breast cancer patients.

Methods

Contrast-enhanced ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT was performed within 20 days of surgery in 143 breast cancer patients with tumors ≤2 cm in size. The patients underwent either axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) or sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), and histopathology reports were used to provide the definitive diagnosis against which the contrast-enhanced ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT study results were compared.

Results

The sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values of contrast-enhanced ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT in detecting axillary involvement were 70.0%, 92.2%, 88.8%, and 77.8%, respectively, in the entire series of 143 patients, with eight false-positive and 12 false negative results. The false-negative results were associated with the number of metastatic lymph nodes and the rate of FDG uptake.

Conclusion

Contrast-enhanced ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT cannot replace histologic staging using SLNB in patients with breast cancer, but ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT increases the sensitivity for predicting axillary node metastasis, and allows for a selective approach to either ALND or SLNB, even in patients with T1 breast cancer.     

早期乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检替代腋窝清扫的临床应用

目的：探讨腋窝前哨淋巴结活检术在早期乳腺癌中替代腋窝淋巴清扫术的意义。方法：选择15例早期（T1-2N0M0）乳腺癌患者,用1%亚甲蓝溶液行腋窝前哨淋巴结活检,淋巴结阴性,不行腋窝清扫。结果：15例患者随访1～3年,术后无一例出现患侧上肢肿胀、患侧上肢感觉麻木、运动障碍等并发症。所有患者未发现有局部复发及腋窝肿大淋巴结。结论：对于早期乳腺癌患者,腋窝前哨淋巴结活检阴性可替代腋窝清扫术。     

乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结的乳腺X线摄影评价

目的探讨乳腺X线摄影对判断乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结有无转移的价值。资料与方法搜集39例乳腺癌患者根治术后422枚腋窝淋巴结,用数字乳腺X线机对每例患者根治术后的腋窝淋巴结按大小顺序编号后行乳腺X线摄影,然后逐一行组织病理学检查,分析淋巴结的影像学表现并与其病理结果对照。结果转移淋巴结114枚,非转移淋巴结308枚。淋巴结长径≥12 mm时,两者分别为60枚、92枚;淋巴结短径≥8 mm时,两者分别为73枚、103枚;长×短径值≥130 mm2时,两者分别为66枚、52枚。两者类圆形分别为10枚、41枚;类椭圆形分别为42枚、133枚;不规则形分别为62枚、134枚。淋巴结内有脂肪密度者24枚、202枚;淋巴结有融合者分别为41枚、10枚。结论两组淋巴结在长径、短径、长×短径值、密度及有无融合方面经χ2检验差异有统计学意义,形状方面差异无统计学意义。乳腺X线摄影对判断乳腺癌腋窝淋巴有无结转移有一定价值。但在实际工作中,对临床指导意义有限。     

Diagnostic values of F-18 FDG PET or PET/CT,CT, and US for Preoperative Lymph Node Staging in Thyroid Cancer: A Network Meta-Analysis

ObjectiveThis study compared the diagnostic performance of three different imaging modalities for preoperative lymph node (LN) staging in thyroid cancer patients, using a network meta-analysis (NMA).MethodsPubMed and Embase were searched to identify studies evaluating the performance of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET or PET/CT), computed tomography (CT), and ultrasonography (US) for preoperative LN staging in thyroid cancer patients. The NMA included both patient- and lesion-based analyses. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) values was used to decide on the most effective diagnostic method.ResultsA total of 3,571 patients from 19 direct comparison studies using three different imaging modalities for preoperative LN staging in thyroid cancer patients were included. US showed the highest SUCRA values for positive predictive values (PPV), negative predictive values (NPV), and accuracy in detection of all cervical LN metastasis. F-18 FDG PET or PET/CT and US showed the highest SUCRA values for PPV and sensitivity, respectively, for central LN, and the highest SUCRA value of specificity and sensitivity, respectively, for lateral LN.ConclusionThe results from this NMA indicate that F-18 FDG PET or PET/CT, CT, and US have complementary diagnostic roles for preoperative staging in thyroid cancer patients.Advances in knowledgeUsing NMA, we comprehensively compared the different diagnostic values and limitations of F-18 FDG PET or PET/CT, CT, and US for the preoperative LN staging in thyroid cancer patients.     

Prediction of Axillary Lymph Node Status of Breast Cancer Patients by Tumorbiological Factors of the Primary Tumor

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The increasing use of systemic adjuvant therapy even in lymph node-negative breast cancer patients and breast cancer screening programs detecting smaller tumors with less probability of metastatic lymph nodes questions the need for routine axillary lymph node dissection. Since morbidity of breast cancer surgery is predominantly related to axillary lymph node dissection, predictive models for lymph node involvement may provide a way to avoid lymph node surgery and its side effects in subgroups of patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Using a multivariate logistic regression model, tumorbiological parameters such as expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors, Ki-67, p53, cathepsin D, HER2, S-phase fraction, and ploidy were analyzed regarding their ability to predict axillary lymph node involvement in 655 breast cancer patients. RESULTS: The model correctly predicted axillary lymph node metastases in 58% of the patients by including expression of progesterone receptor, HER2, and Ki-67. In a subgroup of 200 patients predicted to be at extremely high or extremely low risk for axillary lymph node metastases, the accuracy of the prediction was 70%. CONCLUSION: With a model just based on tumorbiological parameters obtained in the primary tumor it is possible to predict axillary lymph node status. By including additional parameters it appears to be feasible to further improve the model in order to avoid axillary lymph node surgery in low-risk women.     

超声诊断乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结转移的多因素分析

目的分析乳腺癌原发病灶与腋窝淋巴结的灰阶及彩色多普勒超声表现,探讨声像表现与腋窝淋巴结转移的相关性。资料与方法 120例乳腺癌患者及其132个腋窝淋巴结,观察原发病灶的血流分布、最大径、数目、微钙化及淋巴结的血流特征、横径/纵径和皮质厚度。采用单因素和logistic多因素回归分析检验观察指标与乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结转移的相关性。结果单因素分析结果显示,所有影像学观察指标与LNM有相关性,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。多因素logistic回归分析表明,原发病灶的最大径、数目、丰富血供和淋巴结的皮质厚度、血流分布与LNM有相关性(P<0.05)。结论依据乳腺癌原发病灶和腋窝淋巴结声像图特征评判腋窝淋巴结的性质,具有重要临床意义。     

乳腺浸润性导管癌不同部位的微淋巴管密度与腋窝淋巴结转移的关系

目的探讨乳腺浸润性导管癌不同部位的微淋巴管密度和腋窝淋巴结转移的关系。方法通过对79例乳腺浸润性导管癌组织行sP染色法染色,观察癌肿不同部位和正常乳腺组织的微淋巴管,并分析其与腋窝淋巴结转移之间的相互关系。结果79例乳腺癌组织中,乳腺癌周组织LMVD平均为（5．11±2．83）个。癌内LMVD平均为（1．34±0．85）个。正常乳腺组织LMVD平均为（1．14±0．75）个。癌周LMVD明显高于癌内（P=4．01×10^-22,P〈0．05）和正常乳腺组织（P=4．72×10^-24,P〈0．05）。癌内LMVD高于正常组织（P=0．122,P〉0．05）。腋窝淋巴结转移分期与癌周的LMVD之间呈正相关性（r=0．746,P=3．13×10^-15,P〈0．05）。结论乳腺癌周LM—VD明显高于癌内和周围正常乳腺组织,乳腺癌周LMVD与腋窝淋巴结转移呈正相关。     

18F-FDG符合线路SPECT/CT显像对乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结转移的诊断价值

目的探讨18F-FDG符合线路SPECT/CT显像半定量分析法预测乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结转移的最佳阈值。资料与方法以58例行腋窝淋巴结清扫术的乳腺癌患者为研究对象,18F-FDG符合线路SPECT/CT测量腋窝淋巴结(L)与对侧相应部位腋窝本底(B)最大放射性计数比值(L/B值)。以病理为"金标准",通过ROC曲线建立预测乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结转移的最佳阈值,将最佳阈值下的判定结果与病理结果行一致性检验。结果 58例患者共检测到119枚与手术区匹配的淋巴结(直径≥8mm)。L/B值的ROC曲线下面积为0.938,最佳阈值为2.22。采用L/B值≥2.22预测腋窝淋巴结转移的灵敏度、特异度、阳性预测值、阴性预测值分别为88.9%、97.9%、98.5%、85.2%,与病理诊断的一致性较好(Kappa=0.862,P<0.05)。结论采用L/B值≥2.22作为预测直径≥8mm的腋窝淋巴结转移的标准具有较高的准确性,可用于腋窝淋巴结转移的评估。     

乳癌中腋窝淋巴结的CT病理对照

评价ＣＴ在乳癌腋窝淋巴结诊断中的价值。２０例乳癌患者在术前做了ＣＴ扫描，并和病理结果作了比较，腋窝淋巴结短径≥０．５ｃｍ认为是异常；ＣＴ检出１１例有腋窝巴结增大，病理均证实为转移；４例病理为转移而ＣＴ却阴性；临床检查时仅１０例可门及腋窝淋巴结。     

18F-FDG PET-CT显像在预测肺癌淋巴结分期中的价值

目的:探究18F-FDG PET-CT显像在肺癌患者淋巴结分期中的预测价值。方法:以35例经手术病理证实为肺癌患者的PET-CT资料及临床资料为研究对象。在PET-CT原发灶及纵隔淋巴结各区最浓聚的部位勾画感兴趣区,得出SUVmax.以淋巴结转移进行分组,采用t检验、Wilcoxon rank-sum检验及四格表资料的Fisher确切概率法分析组间淋巴结SUVmax、淋巴结与原发灶SUVmax的比值(SUVratio)及临床特征的差异。用ROC曲线对PET/CT的预测价值进行分析。结果:患者年龄、性别、吸烟史、组织类型与肺门、纵隔淋巴结转移无显著相关(P>0.05)。转移淋巴结的SUVmax较非转移淋巴结显著升高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),而淋巴结的SUVratio与淋巴结转移无明显相关(P>0.05)。取淋巴结SUVmax的最佳阈值,假阴性患者中的肺癌原发灶SUVmax偏低,假阳性患者比假阴性患者中的吸烟率高,但不具有显著统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:淋巴结SUVmax可以为临床判断淋巴结转移提供定量指标。结合患者的临床病理特征判断淋巴结的转移可能从--定程度上减少假阳性率及假阴性率。     

Prognostic Value of Primary Tumor Uptake on F-18 FDG PET/CT in Patients with Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer

Purpose

To determine the prognostic implications of pretreatment F-18 FDG PET/CT in patients with invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC), we evaluated the relationship between FDG uptake of the primary tumor and known prognostic parameters of breast cancer. Prognostic significance of tumoral FDG uptake for the prediction of progression-free survival (PFS) was also assessed.

Materials and Methods

Fifty-five female patients with IDC who underwent pretreatment F-18 FDG PET/CT were enrolled. The maximum standardized uptake value of the primary tumor (pSUVmax) was compared with clinicopathological parameters including tumor size, grade, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor2 (HER2), axillary lymph node (LN) metastasis, and stage. The prognostic value of pSUVmax for PFS was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method.

Results

A high pSUVmax was significantly related to a higher stage of tumor size (P < 0.05), grade (P < 0.001), and stage (P < 0.001). pSUVmax was significantly higher in ER-negative tumors (P < 0.001), PR-negative tumors (P < 0.001), and positive LN metastasis (P < 0.01), but not different according to HER2 status. pSUVmax was significantly higher in patients with progression compared to patients who were disease-free (10.6 ± 5.1 vs. 4.7 ± 3.5, P < 0.001). A receiver-operating characteristic curve demonstrated a pSUVmax of 6.6 to be the optimal cutoff for predicting PFS (sensitivity; 86.7%, specificity; 82.5%). The patients with a high pSUVmax (more than 6.6) had significantly shorter PFS compared to patients with a low pSUVmax (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

pSUVmax on pretreatment F-18 FDG PET/CT could be used as a good surrogate marker for the prediction of progression in patients with IDC.