Feasibility of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer Patients with Initial Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis after Primary Systemic Therapy

Purpose

Primary systemic therapy (PST) downstages up to 40% of initial documented axillary lymph node (ALN) metastases in breast cancer. The current surgical treatment after PST consists of breast tumor resection and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). This strategy, however, does not eliminate unnecessary ALND in patients with complete remission of axillary metastases. The aim of this study was to examine the accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) after PST among patients with documented ALN metastasis at presentation and to identify the rate of pathologic complete-remission (CR) with ALN after PST.

Methods

We analyzed 66 patients with ALN metastasis that was pathologically proven preoperatively who underwent SLNB and concomitant ALND after PST. Axillary ultrasound (AUS) was used to evaluate the clinical response of initially documented ALN metastasis after PST. Intraoperative lymphatic mapping was performed using blue dye with or without radioisotope.

Results

After PST, 34.8% of patients had clinical CR of ALN on AUS and 28.8% patients had pathologic CR of ALN. The overall success rate of SLNB after PST was 87.9%, and the sentinel lymph node identification rate in patients with clinical CR was 95.7%. In patients with successful lymphatic mapping, 70.7% of patients had residual axillary metastases. The overall accuracy and false-negative rate were 87.9% and 17.1% in all patients: 95.5% and 10.0% in patients with clinical CR of ALN, and 83.3% and 19.4% in patients with residual axillary disease after PST.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that SLNB may be feasible in patients with initial documented ALN metastasis who have clinical CR for metastatic ALN after PST. Further investigation in a prospective setting should be performed to confirm our results.     

Sentinel Node Biopsy After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Cytologically Proven Node-Positive Breast Cancer

IntroductionSeveral studies have assessed the feasibility of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) after NAC in patients with breast cancer, but diagnostic accuracy has varied. We prospectively evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of SLNB in detecting axillary lymph node (ALN) metastases after NAC in patients with cytologically proven positive nodes before chemotherapy.Patients and MethodsWe studied 95 breast cancer patients with cytologically proven positive nodes and a partial or complete clinical response to NAC in the breast lesions confirmed using magnetic resonance imaging. Patients then underwent SLNB followed by ALN dissection. The identification rate of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) and the false negative rate of nodal metastases were assessed. Subgroup analysis was conducted according to several clinical factors.ResultsSLNs were successfully identified in 81 (85.3%) of the 95 patients. Among these 81 patients, 51 (63.0%) had ALN metastases on final pathologic examination after NAC. Eight of the 51 patients with ALN metastases had negative results on SLNB (false negative rate, 15.7%). Univariate analysis indicated that the false negative rate was significantly lower only in the HER2-negative group (P = .003).ConclusionSLNB after NAC did not correctly predict the presence or absence of axillary node metastases in patients with breast cancer who had cytologically proven positive nodes before NAC. However, the diagnostic accuracy might be different in cancer subtypes, therapeutic effect of chemotherapy, or sentinel lymph node status after chemotherapy. Well-powered studies are needed to confirm diagnostic accuracy of SLNB after NAC according to subgroup in patients with breast cancer.     

Accuracy of fine‐needle aspiration cytology of axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) cytology of axillary lymph nodes is a simple, minimally invasive technique that can be used to improve preoperative determination of the status of the axillary lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer, thereby serving as a tool with which to triage patients for sentinel versus full lymph node dissection procedures. The aim of the current study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of FNA cytology to detect metastatic breast carcinoma in axillary lymph nodes.

METHODS

A total of 115 FNAs of axillary lymph nodes of breast cancer patients with histologic follow‐up (subsequent sentinel or full lymph node dissection) were included in the current study. The specificity and sensitivity, as well as the positive and negative predictive values, were calculated.

RESULTS

The positive and negative predictive values of FNA cytology of axillary lymph nodes for metastatic breast carcinoma were 1.00 and 0.60, respectively. The overall sensitivity of axillary lymph node FNA in all the cases studied was 65% and the specificity was 100%. The sensitivity of FNA was lower in the sentinel lymph node group than in the full lymph node dissection group (16% vs 88%, respectively), which was believed to be attributable to the small size of the metastatic foci in the sentinel lymph node group (median, 0.25 cm). All false‐negative FNAs, with the exception of 1 case, were believed to be the result of sampling error. There was no ‘true’ false‐positive FNA case in the current study.

CONCLUSIONS

FNA of axillary lymph nodes is a sensitive and very specific method with which to detect metastasis in breast cancer patients. Because of its excellent positive predictive value, full axillary lymph node dissection can be planned safely instead of a sentinel lymph node dissection when a preoperative positive FNA result is rendered. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2008. © American Cancer Society.     

超声引导针吸活检在术前判断乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结状态中的应用

目的：研究对超声异常的腋窝淋巴结进行针吸活检的临床价值.方法：对47例cT1-2N0M0腋窝超声异常乳腺癌患者的腋窝淋巴结进行超声引导下针吸活检,结果与组织学病理结果进行对照.分析超声引导针吸活检术前判断乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结转移的敏感性、特异性、阳性预测值、阴性预测值和诊断准确率.结果：超声引导针吸活检判断腋窝淋巴结转移的敏感性、特异性、阳性预测值、阴性预测值和诊断准确率分别为82.8%、100.0%、100.0%、78.3%、89.4%.结论：超声引导针吸活检是术前评估腋窝淋巴结状态的有效检查方法,其结果对乳腺癌手术方式的选择具有重要参考价值.     

乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检40例报告

目的 :通过对乳腺癌前哨淋巴结 (SLN)活检 ,探讨其对腋淋巴结转移情况预测的准确性。方法 :采用亚甲蓝染料法对 4 0例乳腺癌行腋窝蓝染淋巴结活检 ,后行常规腋窝淋巴结清除 (ALND) ,两标本均送病理检查。结果 :全组 4 0例患者检出SLN 38例 ,2例未找到SLN ,检出率为 95 % ( 38/ 4 0 ) ,有 8例SLN为阳性 ,1例SLN为假阴性 ,腋窝淋巴结 (ALN)有 9例转移 ,SLN与ALN病理检查完全符合者 37例 ,准确率为 92 5 % ( 37/ 38) ;灵敏度为 88 9% ( 8/ 9) ;假阴性率为 11 1% ( 1/ 9)。结论 :亚甲蓝染色法能准确地鉴别SLN及预测乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结状态     

Accuracy of Methylene Blue Test as Single Technique for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Early Stages Breast Cancer

Aim: Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNB) establishes as a gold standard for diagnostic lymph node involvement in early breast cancer. Most of the developed country does not have radiotracer and nuclear medicine facilities. Unless in Indonesia there is Methylene Blue as an alternative agent for SLNB. This study measure accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy as a single technique using the Methylene Blue test. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 60 female patients with breast cancer stage I-II. We performed SNB using 2-5 cc of 1% Methylene-blue dye (MBD) injected to periareolar tissue and proceeded with axillary lymph nodes dissection (ALND). The histopathology results of sentinel nodes (SNs) and axillary lymph nodes (ALNs) analyze for diagnostic value assessments. Results: The identification rate of SN was 97.62 %, and the median number of identified SNs was 4 (2-7). Sentinel node metastasis was found in (19/60) % cases and % of them were macrometastases. The sensitivity and specificity of MBD were 91.67% and 96.67% respectively. The negative predictive value (NPV) of SNs to predict axillary metastasis was 96.67% (95% CI, 81-99%). Conclusion: Injection of 1% MBD as a single technique in breast cancer SNB has a favorable identification rate and predictive value.     

乳腺癌前哨淋巴结术中印片细胞学评估

目的评价印片细胞学在乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检术中的病理诊断价值。方法选择105例早期乳腺癌患者行前哨淋巴结活检,其中成功101例。沿前哨淋巴结长轴每隔2～3 mm剖开,每个剖面均进行印片细胞学检查,印片使用HE染色,印片后的淋巴结分别送石蜡切片,将印片结果与石蜡的HE染色结果进行比对比较。结果105例患者前哨淋巴结活检的检出率为96.2%(101/ 105),101例患者中共检出202枚前哨淋巴结。在常规石蜡切片作为诊断标准时,前哨淋巴结术中印片细胞学的敏感性、特异性、准确性、阳性及阴性预测值分别为92.1%、98.8%、97.5%、94.6%和98.2%,101例患者的印片敏感性、特异性、准确性、阳性及阴性预测值分别为89.3%、98.6%、96.0%、96.2%和96.0%。将术中印片结果与进一步的连续切片结果进行比对,前哨淋巴结印片的敏感性、特异性、准确性、阳性及阴性预测值分别为83.3%、98.8%、95.5%、94.6%和95.8%,101例患者的印片敏感性、特异性、准确性、阳性及阴性预测值分别为81.3%、100.0%、94.1%、100.0%和92.0%。结论印片细胞学对乳腺癌前哨淋巴结术中病理诊断有较高的价值,可以准确提供术中诊断信息,与石蜡切片有很高的一致性。     

前哨淋巴结活检对乳腺癌外科导航的临床分析

目的 探讨前哨淋巴结活检(SLNB)对乳腺癌手术导航的临床价值及可靠性。方法 用染料法(1％亚甲蓝)对30例乳腺癌病人进行腋窝前哨淋巴结(SLN)染色切除。术中冰冻切片，术后石蜡切片，并常规行腋窝淋巴结清除术(ALND)。结果 SLN染色成功率96．7％(29／30)，失败1例。SLN阳性10例，后站淋巴结有癌转移6例(60％)，无癌转移4例（40％)。SLN阴性19例，其中假阴性1例，后站淋巴结均无癌转移。SLNB评价：检出率96．7％、准确率93．3％、敏感度90．9％、假阴性率9．1％、假阳性率0。结论 只要提高技术水平，SLN染料着色和检出率都相对较高，对外科术式选择有实际指导意义。相信SLNB取代传统的ALND已为时不远。     

The roles of <Superscript>18</Superscript>F-FDG-PET/CT and US-guided FNAC in assessment of axillary nodal metastases in breast cancer patients

Background

There is a need for less invasive techniques for preoperative identification of axillary lymph node (ALN) metastases.

Method

Patients underwent ultrasonography (US) and ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT), and then US-guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and/or sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy were performed based on the US findings of the ALNs. Subsequently, patients with positive FNAC as well as those with positive SLN underwent axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Postoperatively, removed SLNs and ALNs were examined histologically.

Results

Fifty (85 %) of 59 patients with positive ¹⁸F-FDG uptake in the axilla had axillary metastases, but ¹⁸F-FDG uptake results were false-positive in 9 (15 %) cases. On the other hand, 29 patients with positive FNAC underwent ALND without the need for SLN biopsy, while the remaining 20 patients with negative FNAC as well as 249 patients with negative US findings underwent SLN biopsy. Subsequently, 68 patients with positive SLN underwent ALND.

Conclusions

Positive FDG uptake in the axilla does not always indicate axillary metastasis. US-guided FNAC is useful to avoid unnecessary ALND in patients with positive ¹⁸F-FDG uptake. However, SLN biopsy is needed in patients with negative US findings of the ALNs and those with negative FNAC.

     

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.     

International multicenter tool to predict the risk of four or more tumor-positive axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer patients with sentinel node macrometastases

Recently, many centers have omitted routine axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) after metastatic sentinel node biopsy in breast cancer due to a growing body of literature. However, existing guidelines of adjuvant treatment planning are strongly based on axillary nodal stage. In this study, we aim to develop a novel international multicenter predictive tool to estimate a patient-specific risk of having four or more tumor-positive axillary lymph nodes (ALN) in patients with macrometastatic sentinel node(s) (SN). A series of 675 patients with macrometastatic SN and completion ALND from five European centers were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. A multivariate predictive model was created and validated internally by 367 additional patients and then externally by 760 additional patients from eight different centers. All statistical tests were two-sided. Prevalence of four or more tumor-positive ALN in each center’s series (P = 0.010), number of metastatic SNs (P < 0.0001), number of negative SNs (P = 0.003), histological size of the primary tumor (P = 0.020), and extra-capsular extension of SN metastasis (P < 0.0001) were included in the predictive model. The model’s area under the receiver operating characteristics curve was 0.766 in the internal validation and 0.774 in external validation. Our novel international multicenter-based predictive tool reliably estimates the risk of four or more axillary metastases after identifying macrometastatic SN(s) in breast cancer. Our tool performs well in internal and external validation, but needs to be further validated in each center before application to clinical use.     

乳腺癌新辅助化疗后前哨淋巴结活检的临床意义

目的探讨新辅助化疗后乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检的可行性。方法对57例行^99Tc联合亚甲蓝示踪前哨淋巴结活检术和腋窝淋巴结清扫术乳腺癌患者的资料进行分析,其中31例ⅡB、Ⅲ期患者先行2～3个疗程新辅助化疗后再行前哨淋巴结活检及腋窝淋巴结清扫术,另26例Ⅰ、Ⅱ期患者直接行前哨淋巴结活检及腋窝淋巴结清扫术。结果新辅助化疗组和非新辅助化疗组平均腋窝淋巴结数、前哨淋巴结（sentinel lymph node,SLN）数、SLN检出率、SLN假阴性率均无显著差异（P均〉0．05）。新辅助化疗纽化疗前临床分期在N2以上者,SLN检出率均显著下降（P〈0．05）。结论新辅助化疗后前哨淋巴结活检能准确预测腋窝淋巴结的状况。化疗前的N分期是SLNB检出率的影响因素。     

纳米炭混悬注射液与亚甲蓝注射液在早中期乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检中的应用

目的 探讨纳米炭混悬注射液在乳腺癌前哨淋巴结(SLN)活检中的应用价值和优势.方法 随机将无腋窝淋巴结(ALN)转移的T1N0M0～T2N0M0乳腺癌患者116例分为两组,分别给予亚甲蓝注射液和纳米炭混悬注射液示踪.其中亚甲蓝组51例,纳米炭组65例.在摘取SLN后进行乳腺癌保乳根治术或乳腺癌仿根治术,对全部ALN进行清扫,比较两组患者中SLN的检出率、假阴性率、特异性、准确率及灵敏度.结果 亚甲蓝组SLN检出率为88.2%,假阴性率为13.3%,灵敏度为86.7%,准确率为84.3%,特异性为100%;纳米炭组SLN检出率为98.5%,假阴性率为8.7%,灵敏度为91.3%,准确率为95.4%,特异性为100%.纳米炭组的检出率及准确率明显高于亚甲蓝组(P＜0.05),纳米炭组与亚甲蓝组的假阴性率、灵敏度和特异性差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).结论 与亚甲蓝注射液相比,纳米炭混悬注射液的稳定性和可操作性较强.

Abstract：

Objective To compare the efficacy of methylene blue versus carbon nanopartIcles suspension injection as a tracer for sentinel lymph node detection in breast cancer and the factors associated with the definition of sentinel lymph node biopsy. Methods One hundred and sixteen patients with early breast cancer underwent intraoperative sentinel lymph node biopsy, among them 51 patients accepted injection of methylene blue dye, while 65 patients received carbon nanopartIcles suspension injection. The mapping procedures and SLNB were performed using subareolar or peritumoral injection of methylene blue or carbon nanopartIcles suspension injection at the site of the primary breast cancer, followed by the axil lary lymph node dissection (ALND). All the SLN and ALN were evaluated pathologically post-operatively.Results In the MB group, the false-negative, sensitivity, accuracy, specificity rate of SLNB detection were 88.2%, 13.3%, 86.7%, 84. 3%, and 100%, respectively. In the CNP group, the false-negative,sensitivity, accuracy, specificity rate of SLNB detection were 98.5%, 8.7%, 91.3%, 95.4%, and 100%,respectively. The false-negative, sensitivity, specificity rate in the CNP group were trended to be higher than those in the MB group, but the difference of the accuracy and detection rates are significant ( P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions Compared with methylene blue solution, the carbon nanoparticle injection shows a better stability and operability for the sentinel lymph node detection in breast cancers.     

国产亚甲蓝标记乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检64例分析

[目的]评估乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检（SLNB）对预测腋窝淋巴结转移状态的价值。[方法]64例临床Ⅰ、Ⅱ期原发女性乳腺癌，体检无腋淋巴结肿大或虽有肿大而估计非转移性，术中在原发肿瘤周围注射亚甲蓝示踪定位，进行SLNB和腋淋巴结清扫（ALND）。术后对全部前哨淋巴结（SLN）和腋淋巴结（ALN）行常规病理检查。[结果]64例中检出SLN者53例，检出率为82．8％。其中Nn组腋窝淋巴结预测准确度为91.4％，阳性预测符合率100％（5／5）；无假阴性，阴性预测符合率100％（30／30）。N1组准确度仅72．2％（13／18）。腋窝淋巴结肿大不影响SLNB成功率，但降低SLN预测ALN准确度；肿块切检后行SLNB可降低成功率；注射亚甲蓝后60min内解剖SLN不影响SLNB成功率。[结论]在肿块切检前注射亚甲蓝示踪定位，SLNB成功率高，能准确预测（T1，T2）N0M0乳腺癌患者的转移状态。     

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。     

Diagnostic performance of fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography combined with ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration cytology for identifying axillary lymph node status in patients with breast cancer

Aim

The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) in combination with ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration cytology (US-guided FNAC) for the preoperative diagnosis of axillary lymph node (ALN) metastases in patients with breast cancer.

Materials and methods

A total of 318 patients with breast cancer were recruited retrospectively. Some of the cases that underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) were included. The sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET/CT were calculated. We assessed the relationship between the combined results for US-guided FNAC with FDG-PET/CT and the pathological ALN status.

Results

A total of 271 patients underwent FDG-PET/CT. Of these patients, 41 underwent US-guided FNAC. The sensitivity and the specificity of FDG-PET/CT for the cases without NAC were 18.5%, 97.1%, respectively. The sensitivity in cases with NAC was 68.2%. As a whole, the sensitivity was 40.8%.ALN metastasis was detected using US-guided FNAC in a case with a negative FDG uptake in the ALN. The T stage was T2 in the case and the FDG uptake at the primary site was poor.

Conclusion

FDG-PET/CT has a good specificity for ALN metastasis, although its sensitivity is limited, especially in early-stage cases. In cases with a negative FDG uptake in the ALN, US-guided FNAC may play a role in the detection of lymph node metastasis when the primary tumor size is large and the FDG uptake in the primary tumor is low.     

Additional axillary metastases and stage migration in breast cancer patients with micrometastases or submicrometastases in sentinel lymph nodes

BACKGROUND: In patients with breast cancer, micrometastases and submicrometastases are increasingly found in sentinel nodes when step sectioning and/or immunohistochemical staining are applied. The aims of the current study were to investigate the incidence of micro- and submicrometastases in the sentinel node, to estimate the risk of additional metastases in the remaining axillary lymph nodes, and to consider implications for staging and treatment. METHODS: A total of 2150 breast cancer patients who had undergone axillary sentinel node biopsy between 1999 and 2004 were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: In all, 649 patients (30%) had a tumor-positive axillary sentinel node. Of these 649 patients, 148 had (23%) micrometastases and 105 (16%) submicrometastases. Of the 148 patients with micrometastases, 106 underwent axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) and additional metastases were found in 20 patients (19%). Sixteen (15%) had macrometastases and were upstaged. The other 4 patients had additional micrometastases. Seven of the 106 patients (7%) received additional systemic treatment based on the findings in the axillary lymph nodes. Fifty-four of the 105 patients with submicrometastases underwent ALND. Two (4%) of them had additional macrometastases and were upstaged and 2 had additional micrometastases. None received additional treatment based on the ALND findings. CONCLUSIONS: Of the involved sentinel nodes, 23% contained micrometastases and 16% submicrometastases. Additional macrometastases were found in 15% and 4%, respectively, and treatment was altered in 7%. Based on these findings, offering additional treatment of the axilla is suggested in patients with micrometastases, but refraining from ALND in patients with submicrometastases in their sentinel node.     

New developments in melanoma: utility of ultrasound imaging (initial staging,follow-up and pre-SLNB)

Melanoma incidence is still increasing, but the mortality rate has remained unchanged. Lymph node metastases are the single most important prognostic factor for stage I/II melanoma patients. Currently, the standard of care with regard to the staging of these patients is the surgical sentinel node procedure. Ultrasound is not routine for the diagnostic work-up of primary melanomas. Some may use ultrasound for the preoperative assessment of the tumor thickness and lymphatic drainage, but this has not found wide application. For the follow-up of melanoma patients, ultrasound has been proven to be superior to physical examination for the detection of lymph node metastases. A meta-analysis has shown that ultrasound is superior to computed tomography (CT) and/or positron emission tomography (PET)-CT for the detection of lymph node metastases, whereas PET-CT was superior for the detection of distant visceral metastases. Ultrasound of regional lymph nodes has been incorporated into many national guidelines across Europe and in Australia for the follow-up of melanoma patients. A new avenue for ultrasound (US)-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is the pre-sentinel node modality. Like the situation in breast and thyroid cancer, US-FNAC, a minimally invasive procedure, may decrease the need for surgical sentinel node staging. New ultrasound morphology criteria have significantly increased the sensitivity of this technique. Peripheral perfusion is an early sign of metastases (77% sensitivity, 52% positive-predictive value), whereas balloon-shaped lymph node was a late sign of metastases (30% sensitivity, 96% positive-predictive value). Together, these new ultrasound morphology criteria were able to accurately demonstrate metastases in 65% of sentinel node-positive patients. Future perspectives of ultrasound in melanoma include the start of a large multicenter, multicountry validation study – USE-FNAC – by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Melanoma Group. In light of new and promising adjuvant therapies, the need for ultrasound staging might increase rapidly.     

Axillary reverse mapping using near-infrared fluorescence imaging in invasive breast cancer (ARMONIC study)

BackgroundAxillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in patients with breast cancer has potential side effects, including upper-limb lymphedema. Axillary reverse mapping (ARM) is a technique that enables discrimination of the lymphatic drainage of the upper limb in the axillary lymph node basin from that of the breast. We aimed to evaluate ARM node identification by near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging during total mastectomy with ALND and then to analyze potential predictive factors of ARM node involvement.MethodsThe study enrolled 119 patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer with an indication for ALND. NIR imaging using indocyanine green dye was performed in 109 patients during standard ALND to identify ARM nodes and their corresponding lymphatic ducts.Results94.5% of patients had ARM nodes identified (95%CI = [88.4–98.0]). The ARM nodes were localized in zone D in 63.4% of cases. Metastatic axillary lymph nodes were found in 55% in the whole cohort, and 19.4% also had metastasis in ARM nodes. Two patients had metastatic ARM nodes but not in the remaining axillary lymph nodes. No serious adverse events were observed. Only the amount of mitosis was significantly associated with ARM node metastasis.ConclusionsARM by NIR fluorescence imaging could be a reliable technique to identify ARM nodes in real-time when ALND is performed. The clinical data compared with ARM node histological diagnosis showed only the amount of mitosis in the diagnostic biopsy is a potential predictive factor of ARM node involvement.Clinical trial registrationNCT02994225.     

Prognosis of breast cancer patients treated with sentinel node biopsy in Japan

BACKGROUND: Sentinel node biopsy predicts accurate pathological nodal staging. The survival of node-negative breast cancer patients should be evaluated between the patients treated with sentinel node biopsy alone and those treated with axillary lymph node dissection. METHODS: Ninety-seven patients with negative axillary nodes underwent sentinel node biopsy immediately followed by axillary lymph node dissection between January 1998 and June 1999 (the ALND group). Since then, if sentinel lymph nodes were negative on the frozen-section diagnosis, 112 patients underwent sentinel node biopsy alone without axillary lymph node dissection between July 1999 and December 2000 (the SNB group). We retrospectively observed the outcome of the two study groups. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 52 months in all patients. Relapse-free survival rates at 3 years in the ALND and SNB groups were 94% and 93%, respectively. Five of the 112 patients in the SNB group had overt axillary metastases. Three of them with axillary metastases alone were treated with delayed axillary lymph node dissection. These three patients have been free of other events for 3 years after local salvage treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Sentinel node biopsy will emerge as a standard method to diagnose axillary nodal staging for clinically node-negative breast cancer patients.