Alternative lymphatic pathway after previous axillary node dissection in recurrent/primary breast cancer

OBJECTIVES: The sentinel lymph node approach has almost become the standard procedure of choice in the management of patients with early breast cancer. The status of sentinel nodes, whether or not pathologically involved by cancer cells, represents those of the axillary nodes with a negative predictive value of almost 100%. If the axillary lymphatic nodal drainage is altered, alternative lymphatic pathways and accordingly sentinel node location will be changed. METHODS: In this article, 4 patients are presented, 3 with recurrent breast cancer who had already undergone lumpectomy, axillary node dissection, and radiotherapy in the past and 1 with primary breast cancer after surgical removal of a malignant melanoma on her back and had axillary node dissection on the same side as the breast cancer. These patients underwent lymphoscintigraphy followed by sentinel node localization using the gamma probe and also blue dye injection during surgery. RESULTS: All patients showed alternate lymphatic pathways, 1 had an ipsilateral internal mammary node and crossed lymphatics to a contralateral axillary node, 2 had intramammary sentinel nodes, and 1 had an internal mammary on the same side. Pathologic examination of the intramammary and contralateral sentinel nodes were negative for metastases. Internal mammary sentinel nodes were not biopsied. CONCLUSION: We feel that sentinel node lymphoscintigraphy should be done even in patients who have altered lymphatic pathways resulting from previous axillary node dissection. It allows identifying and biopsy of the sentinel node at its new unpredicted location.     

Sentinel lymph node identification in breast cancer patients

PURPOSE: To evaluate the predictive value of sentinel lymph node biopsy versus axillary node dissection on lymph node status in patients with T1-T2 breast cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-nine patients with T1 and 12 with T2 breast carcinoma and clinically N0 axillary lymph nodes, underwent lymphoscintigraphy following the administration of 99mTc-human albumin nanocolloids. The tracer was injected subdermally, over the tumor mass, in the 34 patients with palpable lesions and peritumorally (n=3) or intratumorally (n=4), under stereotactic or ultrasound guidance, in the 7 patients with non-palpable lesions. Anterior and lateral planar images were acquired 15 min after the injection of the tracer and repeated every 30 min up to 3 hr until identification of sentinel lymph node. At the end of the scintigraphic study, sentinel node skin projection was marked using a dermographic pen. Eighteen hours after lymphoscintigraphy, sentinel lymph node was identified and removed during surgery by hand-held gamma probe, then, the remaining axillary lymph nodes were dissected. All surgical specimens underwent histologic examination. Sentinel lymph nodes free of metastasis at histology, underwent additional examination with immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies against cytokeratin and EMA to search for micrometastases. RESULTS: Sentinel lymph node was identified in the 34 patients injected subdermally and in the 3 patients injected peritumorally, while it remained undetected in the 4 patients injected intratumorally except for one case in which it was isolated by radioguided surgery but not scintigraphically. Sentinel nodes resulted free of metastases both at histology and immunohistochemistry in 32 cases and metastatic in 6. In the 32 patients with non-metastatic sentinel lymph nodes the other axillary nodes were also free of metastases. Among the 6 metastatic sentinel lymph nodes, in 3 cases they were the only metastatic nodes of the axilla while in the other 3 cases metastases were spread to other axillary nodes. CONCLUSIONS: In agreement with previous studies, our results showed that sentinel lymph node radioguided biopsy is a simple and reliable method for predicting axillary lymph nodes status and for avoiding axillary dissection in early breast cancer patients with sentinel node free of metastases.     

Breast cancer with metastatic invasion of the sentinel lymph node in an internal mammary chain and with axillary chains free of tumor lesionS

The lymphoscintigraphy is a widely accepted procedure to detect the sentinel node in breast cancer. This is a case report of a 45 year old woman diagnosed of breast cancer who was referred to the nuclear medicine facility to perform the sentinel node detection procedure. The lymphoscintigraphy prior to surgery shows a double pathway in the tracer migration: one going to the axillary area and the second to the internal mammary chain and shows hot spots that represent the sentinel nodes. After surgical removal of those nodes, the pathological analysis report indicated tumor infiltration in the internal mammary chain sentinel node with all axillary nodes free of malignant cells. The aim of this report is to emphasize the importance of performing a pathological analysis of all the sentinel nodes detected in lymphoscintigraphy.     

Sentinel lymph node biopsy after percutaneous diagnosis of nonpalpable breast cancer.

PURPOSE: To determine the technical success rate of sentinel lymph node biopsy in women with nonpalpable infiltrating breast cancer diagnosed by using percutaneous core biopsy and to determine the frequency with which sentinel lymph node biopsy obviated axillary dissection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review revealed 33 women who underwent sentinel node biopsy after percutaneous core biopsy diagnosis of nonpalpable infiltrating breast cancer. Sentinel nodes were identified with radioisotope and blue dye; the procedure was technically successful if sentinel nodes were found at surgery. All sentinel nodes were excised. Axillary dissection was performed if tumor was present in sentinel nodes. RESULTS: Sentinel nodes were found at surgery in 30 women (91%). Sentinel nodes were identified with both radioisotope and blue dye in 22 (73%) of these women, with only radioisotope in six (20%), and with only blue dye in two (7%). Sentinel nodes were found in 12 (80%) of 15 women in the first half of the study versus all 18 (100%) women in the second half (P = .08). Sentinel nodes were free of tumor in 23 (77%) of 30 women. In six (86%) of seven women with tumor in sentinel nodes, the sentinel nodes were the only nodes with tumor. CONCLUSION: Sentinel node biopsy was successful in 30 women (91%) with nonpalpable infiltrating carcinoma diagnosed with percutaneous core biopsy and obviated axillary dissection in 23 women (70%). Using both radioisotope and blue dye may increase the success rate. A learning curve exists, and success improves with experience.     

乳癌哨兵淋巴结检测临床应用

目的：探讨乳癌哨兵淋巴结活检预测腋窝淋巴结转移状态的可靠性.方法：本组为2000年11月至2004年2月我院收治的140例乳癌患者.术中应用国产亚甲蓝注射液4～6 ml肿瘤上、外、下半圆形皮下连续注射,134例行乳癌改良根治术或患侧乳腺区段切除加腋窝淋巴结清扫术.术后解剖蓝染淋巴管,沿着色淋巴管找到蓝染的哨兵淋巴结.哨兵淋巴结及腋窝淋巴结常规行石蜡病理切片检查.5例行乳腺区段切除加哨兵淋巴结活检,1例行全乳切除加哨兵淋巴结活检（冰冻、石蜡病理检查SLN转移阴性）,未行全腋窝淋巴结清扫.结果：140例患者中136例检出哨兵淋巴结,检出率97.14%,灵敏度 88.71%,准确率94.31%,阴性预测值89.71%,假阴性率11.29%,仅哨兵淋巴结阳性7例.结论：应用亚甲蓝注射液淋巴结着色方法行乳癌哨兵淋巴结活检可以准确地预测腋窝淋巴结转移状态.     

乳腺癌前哨淋巴结核素显像新进展

乳腺癌是全球女性发病率最高的恶性肿瘤, 为保证患者的生存率、减少术后并发症, 20世纪90年代用"腋窝前哨淋巴结活检术取代腋窝淋巴结清扫"的观点被提出并逐渐发展成为乳腺癌患者保乳术的常规方法。除腋窝前哨淋巴结外, 内乳前哨淋巴结的重要性同样不容忽视, 但是否将其作为前哨淋巴结活检的对象仍存在争议。面对目前形势, 核医学工作者做了大量研究, 在保证腋窝前哨淋巴结高显示率的同时尽可能提高内乳前哨淋巴结的显示率。笔者对近十年来国内外研究者在乳腺癌前哨淋巴结核素显像中的核素示踪剂、注射技术、显像仪器等方面的最新进展进行综述。     

Radioguided sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer surgery.

The concept of sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer surgery relates to the fact that the tumor drains in a logical way through the lymphatic system, from the first to upper levels. Therefore, the first lymph node met (the sentinel node) will most likely be the first to be affected by metastasis, and a negative sentinel node makes it highly unlikely that other nodes are affected. Because axillary node dissection does not improve prognosis of patients with breast cancer (being important only to stage the axilla), sentinel lymph node biopsy might replace complete axillary dissection to stage the axilla in clinically N0 patients. Sentinel lymph node biopsy would represent a significant advantage as a minimally invasive procedure, considering that, after surgery, about 70% of patients are found to be free from metastatic disease, yet axillary node dissection can lead to significant morbidity. Furthermore, histologic sampling errors can be reduced if a single (sentinel) node is assessed extensively rather than few histologic sections in a high number of lymph nodes per patient. Although the pattern of lymph drainage from breast cancer can be variable, the mammary gland and the overlying skin can be considered as a biologic unit in which lymphatics tend to follow the vasculature. Therefore, considering that tumor lymphatics are disorganized and relatively ineffective, subdermal and peritumoral injection of small aliquots of radiotracer is preferred to intratumoral administration. (99m)Tc-labeled colloids with most of the particles in the 100- to 200-nm size range would be ideal for radioguided sentinel node biopsy in breast cancer. Lymphoscintigraphy is an essential part of radioguided sentinel lymph node biopsy because images are used to direct the surgeon to the site of the node. The sentinel lymph node should have a significantly higher count than that of background (at least 10:1 intraoperatively). After removal of the sentinel node, the axilla must be reexamined to ensure that all radioactive sites are identified and removed for analysis. The sentinel lymph node should be processed for intraoperative frozen section examination in its entirety, based on conventional histopathology and, when needed, immune staining with anticytokeratin antibody. The success rate of radioguidance in localizing the sentinel lymph node in breast cancer surgery is about 94%--97% in institutions where a high number of procedures are performed and approaches 99% when combined with the vital blue dye technique. At present, there is no definite evidence that negative sentinel lymph node biopsy is invariably correlated with negative axillary status, except perhaps for T1a-b breast cancers, with a size of < or =1 cm. Randomized clinical trials should elucidate the impact of avoiding axillary node dissection on patients with a negative sentinel lymph node on the long-term clinical outcome of patients.     

Internal mammary lymph node metastases in breast cancer: what should radiologists know?

The internal mammary lymph node (IMLN) chain is a pathway through which breast lymphatic drainage flows. The internal mammary lymphatic vessel runs around the internal mammary artery and veins with IMLN in the parasternal intercostal spaces. IMLN metastasis, which forms a part of clinical TNM staging, may negatively affect the prognosis of primary breast cancer patients. IMLN metastasis is clinically detected using ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ¹⁸F-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography computed tomography. The uptake of radioactive tracers in IMLN with clinically negative axillary lymph nodes is often identified using sentinel lymph node mapping (SLNM) in primary breast cancer patients. The indication for IMLN biopsy or resection that is clinically detected or visualized using SLNM is controversial. The clinically suspicious IMLN may be considered for ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration. First IMLN recurrence needs to be biopsied. Irradiation of the breast, chest wall, and/or regional nodal irradiation, including IMLN, following lumpectomy or postmastectomy is recommended. Although radiation therapy for IMLN recurrence may improve clinical outcomes, it is also associated with pulmonary and cardiac toxicities. This review covers the local anatomy of IMLN, lymph drainage and image findings of IMLN with a discussion.     

淋巴显像及术中γ探测定位活检乳腺癌前哨淋巴结

目的：探讨淋巴显像及术中γ探测定位活组织检查乳腺癌前硝淋巴结的临床价值。方法：术前在乳腺肿瘤表面正中皮内注射37－74MBq ^99Tcm-大分子右旋糖酐（Dx)，用淋巴显像和术中γ探测定位乳腺癌 前硝淋巴结，术中切除前 淋巴结，而后行腑窝淋巴结清扫术，两标本连同切除的乳腺肿物同时送病理检查，分析和前哨淋巴结转移与腋窝淋巴结的关系。结果：31例均行淋巴显像和术中γ探测定位乳腺癌前哨淋巴结患者中，检出率为100％，有3例前哨淋巴结病理检查呈假阴性，假阴性率为25％，结论：术中γ探测是乳腺癌前哨淋巴结定位最可靠的手段。以乳腺 癌前哨淋巴结活组织检查取代常规腑窝淋巴结清扫术尚需进一步研究。     

Role of axillary lymph node ultrasound and large core biopsy in the preoperative assessment of patients selected for sentinel node biopsy

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of axillary lymph node sonography, if necessary in combination with US-guided large core biopsy, in the preoperative evaluation of breast cancer patients scheduled for quadrantectomy and sentinel lymph node excision. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 2001 to December 2002, we evaluated 117 breast cancer patients with ultrasound and, where indicated, FNAB. Breast lesions had diameters between 4 and 26 mm (mean diameter 11 mm). Fifteen (13%) of the 117 patients were excluded from the series as they did not fulfil the criteria for preliminary sonography of the axilla: in 9 patients fewer than 4 nodes were detected and in 6 patients the breast lesions were intraoperatively found to be benign. Eleven patients (10.7 %) with sonographically suspicious axillary nodes were sampled by US-guided core biopsy using a 14 or 16 Gauge Tru-Cut needle. RESULTS: The ultrasound study aims to evaluate the dimensions and morphology of the breast lesion as well as detect and assess at least 4 axillary nodes. These were evaluated for hilar and cortical thickening and ratio between the sinus diameter and the total longitudinal diameter. Lymph nodes with hilar diameters equal to or greater than 50% of the longitudinal diameter were considered normal. Of the 102 patients evaluated, 77 (75.7%) had normal axillary nodes according to the US criteria adopted. Negativity was confirmed by histology in 56 cases (72.7%, true negative); 21 (27.3%, false negative) were found to be positive, in contrast with the sonographic appearance. The false negative cases were due to lymph node micrometastasis which probably did not cause morphologic alterations perceptible at ultrasound. The remaining 25 patients (24.5%) had axillary lymph nodes classified as suspicious. In 13 cases of (52%, true positive) there was agreement with histology, whereas in 12 cases (48%, false positive) the US suspicion was not confirmed at surgery. The most important sonographic alteration was the gradual reduction in hilar echogenicity (seen in 100% metastatic nodes); conversely, hilar denting or irregularities, as well as dimensional criteria, proved to be poorly specific. CONCLUSIONS: The sonographic assessment of axillary and internal mammary chain nodes, possibly in addition to core biopsy, improves the preoperative evaluation of breast cancer patients scheduled for conservative surgery of the breast (quadrantectomy) and the axilla (sentinel node biopsy). US findings suspicious for metastatic involvement of axillary lymph nodes should be considered as an exclusion criterion for sentinel node biopsy. A more widespread use of axillary node biopsy and an accurate sonographic evaluation of the excised lymph node increase the specificity of the procedure, allowing a better correlation between sonographic findings and definitive histology.     

Evaluation of axillary status in breast cancer. CT-based determination of sentinel lymph node size

Purpose:
To determine whether the location and size of sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) on CT are predictive of the axillary lymph node status in patients with breast cancer. Material and Methods:
Forty patients with confirmed breast cancer underwent 5-mm CT of both breasts and axillae and the most inferior lymph node in the affected axilla was designated the SLN. Based on CT assessment of the axillary lymph node status, 22 (55%) patients then underwent dye- and gamma probe (DGP)-guided SLN biopsy followed by axillary dissection; 18 (45%) underwent dissection without prior SLN biopsy. The localization and status of the SLN determined on CT and by DGP-guided biopsy were compared. Biopsied and excised nodes were subjected to histopathologic examinations. Results:
All SLN identified on CT were close to the lateral thoracic artery and their localization corresponded well with SLN identified by the DGP-guided method. The positive predictive value of CT diagnosis was 100%. Histopathologic examination of excised nodes confirmed that none of the SLN biopsies was false-negative. Conclusion:
Our CT criteria were highly accurate for identification and diagnostic assessment of SLN and useful for evaluating the axillary status in patients with breast cancer.     

Factors affecting sentinel node localization during preoperative breast lymphoscintigraphy.

Variable success rates for identifying axillary (AX) sentinel nodes in breast cancer patients using preoperative lymphoscintigraphy have been reported. We evaluated the effects of age, weight, breast size, method of biopsy, interval after biopsy, and imaging view on the success of sentinel node identification and on the kinetics of radiopharmaceutical migration. METHODS: Preoperative breast lymphoscintigraphy was performed in consecutive breast cancer patients from February 1998 to December 1998. The ipsilateral shoulder was elevated on a foam wedge and the arm was abducted and elevated overhead. Imaging using this modified oblique view of the axilla (MOVA) started immediately after peritumoral injection of Millipore-filtered 99mTc-sulfur colloid and continued until AX sentinel nodes were identified. Anterior views were obtained after MOVA. AX, internal mammary (IM), and clavicular (CL) basins were monitored in all patients. MOVA was compared with the anterior view for sentinel node identification. Age, weight, breast size, method of biopsy, interval after biopsy, and primary tumor location were evaluated for their effects on sentinel node localization and transit times from injection to arrival at the sentinel nodes. RESULTS: Seventy-six lymphoscintigrams were obtained for 75 patients. AX sentinel nodes were revealed in 75 (99%) cases. IM or CL sentinel nodes were found in 19 (25%) cases and were not related to tumor location; exclusive IM drainage was present in 1 (1%) case. Identification of AX sentinel nodes was equivalent with MOVA and anterior views in 18 (24%) patients, was better with MOVA in 20 (26%) patients, and was accomplished only with MOVA in 38 (50%) patients. Median transit time was 17.5 min (range, 1 min to 18 h) after injection, and larger breast size was associated with increased transit time. No effect of age, weight, biopsy method, interval from biopsy, or tumor location on transit time was found. CONCLUSION: Use of MOVA can improve identification of AX sentinel nodes. Although AX drainage is the predominant pattern, a tumor in any portion of the breast can drain to IM sentinel nodes. Transit time was influenced by breast size. Overall short arrival times with this technique allow sentinel lymph node dissection to be performed on the same day as lymphoscintigraphy.     

Mammographic and clinical predictors of drainage patterns in breast lymphoscintigrams obtained during sentinel node procedures

PURPOSE: The authors' purpose was to explore the association between mammographic findings and drainage patterns on lymphoscintigrams obtained during sentinel node procedures for breast carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 1997 to March 2000, 132 patients with breast cancer who were included in a prospective mammography-pathology correlation and staging database were imaged 2 hours after perilesional injection of 1 mCi filtered (0. 22 microm) Tc-99m sulfur colloid (4 ml volume) before sentinel node procedures. RESULTS: Sixty-four percent of the scans showed axillary drainage only, 9% showed axillary and internal mammary drainage, and 4% revealed internal mammary drainage only. Twenty-three percent of scans showed no drainage. Of the patients who showed drainage, 17% showed drainage to the internal mammary basin, and 5% showed this exclusively. Internal mammary drainage was seen in 18% (10 of 57) of lateral, 21% (6 of 29) of medial, and 14% (1 of 7) of subareolar lesions (P = NS). No drainage was seen in 22% of patients with predominantly fatty mammographic parenchymal density (>50%) compared with only 8% of patients with predominantly dense (>50%) parenchyma (P < 0.05). Failure to show drainage was more common in women older than 50 years (P < 0.05). Axillary sentinel nodes were identified surgically in 73% of patients with negative scan findings. There was no significant association between scintigraphic drainage and mammographic soft tissue tumor size and appearance, histologic findings, or axillary node status. CONCLUSIONS: Dense mammographic parenchyma and age less than 50 years are associated with identification of lymphatic drainage on lymphoscintigrams performed before sentinel node procedures in 91% to 92% of patients. Internal mammary drainage, present in 18% of lateral and 21% of medial lesions, may direct therapy to include internal mammary lymph nodes.     

Sentinel node biopsy in male breast cancer

OBJECTIVE: Male breast cancer is a rare disease and axillary status is the most important prognostic indicator. Lymphoscintigraphy associated with gamma-probe guided surgery has been proved to reliably detect sentinel nodes in female patients with breast cancer. This study evaluates the feasibility of the surgical identification of sentinel node by using lymphoscintigraphy and a gamma-detecting probe in male patients, in order to select subjects who would be suitable for complete axillary lymphadenectomy. METHODS: Colloid human albumin labelled with 99Tc was administered to 18 male patients with breast cancer and clinically negative axillary lymph nodes. Lymphoscintigraphy was performed the day before surgery. An intraoperative gamma-detecting probe was used to identify sentinel nodes during surgery. RESULTS: Lymphoscintigraphy and biopsy of the sentinel node were successful in all cases. A total of 20 sentinel nodes were removed. Pathological examinations showed 11 infiltrating ductal carcinomas, two intraductal carcinomas and five intracystic papillary carcinomas. Six patients (33%) had positive sentinel node (micrometastases were found in three patients). These patients underwent axillary dissection; in five of them (83%) the sentinel node was the only positive node. Twelve patients (67%) showed negative sentinel nodes; in all of them no further surgical treatments were planned. CONCLUSIONS: As in women, lymphoscintigraphy and sentinel node biopsy under the guidance of a gamma-detecting probe proved to be an easy method for the detection of sentinel nodes in male breast carcinoma. In male patients with early stage cancer, sentinel node biopsy might represent the standard surgical procedure in order to avoid unnecessary morbidity after surgery, preserving accurate staging of the disease in the axilla.     

光动力学疗法治疗乳癌术后内乳区淋巴结转移

目的探讨光动力学疗法治疗乳癌根治术后内乳区淋巴结转移的作用和方法。方法2005年6月至2005年12月，选择经内乳区淋巴结显像证实有内乳区淋巴结转移的12例乳癌患者，于胸骨旁肋间隙经穿刺针导入柱状激光光纤，进行光动力学照射。术后3个月再行内乳区淋巴结显像复查。激光仪波长630nm，光敏剂血卟啉剂量5mg／kg；柱状激光光纤，末端输出功率密度300mW／cm^2，照射时间15min。结果9枚直径0．5～1．0cm内乳区淋巴结完全消失，4枚直径1．1～1．3cm明显缩小。结论光动力学照射内乳区淋巴结是治疗乳癌内乳区淋巴结转移的有效方法。     

Lymphatic drainage patterns on early versus delayed breast lymphoscintigraphy performed after injection of filtered Tc-99m sulfur colloid in breast cancer patients undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy

The axillary lymph node status is the most important predictor of prognosis and aids in breast cancer treatment planning. Patients with breast cancer now frequently undergo sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy rather than axillary lymph node dissection to determine the status of the regional lymph nodes. However, the optimal timing of radionuclide injection relative to the timing of SLN biopsy remains controversial. The objective of this study was to compare the lymphatic drainage patterns on lymphoscintigraphy performed at 15 minutes to 4 hours and at 18 to 24 hours after injection of filtered Tc-99m sulfur colloid, and to determine whether, over time, radiocolloid migrates to second-echelon nodes that are not the SLNs. Fifteen women with breast cancer (mean age, 55 years; range, 38-78 years) were scheduled to undergo SLN biopsy after each received an injection of 18.5 MBq (0.5 mCi) filtered Tc-99m sulfur colloid into the breast parenchyma surrounding the tumor or biopsy cavity. Both early (15 minutes to 4 hours after radionuclide injection) and delayed (18-24 hours after radionuclide injection) lymphoscintigraphy was performed in each patient. SLN biopsy was performed, followed by completion axillary lymph node dissection and planned breast surgery. In each patient the patterns of distribution of the radionuclide in the lymph nodes were the same on early and delayed lymphoscintigrams. These findings, that the distributions of radionuclide in lymph nodes are identical on early and delayed images obtained after injection of filtered Tc-99m sulfur colloid, suggest that performing SLN biopsy on the day after injection does not diminish the accuracy of the technique in predicting the potential site of metastasis in the regional lymph nodes in patients undergoing this procedure for breast cancer.     

Technical aspects of sentinel node lymphoscintigraphy for breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: A significant morbidity risk is associated with axillary nodal dissections for breast cancer. Many treatment decisions are based on axillary nodal status. Lymphatic mapping and sentinel node biopsy have been investigated to determine if the histology of the sentinel node reflects the remaining lymph node basin. We describe the technical aspects of sentinel node lymphoscintigraphy for breast cancer. METHODS: Ninety-three patients had lymphoscintigraphy for breast cancer. Patients with palpable lesions had 4 concentric injections around the site and lesions requiring localization had injections made through tubing connected to the localizing wire introducer needle. Immediate static images were acquired and the sentinel node was marked for surgery. Marks were reverified using a handheld gamma probe. RESULTS: Lymph nodes were visualized by lymphoscintigraphy in 87% of cases. Time to visualization of lymph nodes ranged from 1-120 min with a mean of 28 min. An average of 1.5 nodes were visualized. The overall success rate for identifying the sentinel node at time of surgery was 85%. CONCLUSION: We conclude that lymphoscintigraphy for breast cancer is a detailed procedure that requires coordination with radiology and surgery teams to ensure proper identification of sentinel lymph nodes.     

Sentinel Node Concept in Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: It seems that there exists a specific lymph node center called sentinel node (SN) which appears to be the primary site of metastases. The sentinel node concept (SNC) is fundamentally based on the orderly progression of tumor cells within the lymphatic system. It is the most important new concept in surgical and radiation oncology. The purpose is to present the biological significance, the diagnostic and clinical basis of the sentinel node concept in breast cancer patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Lymphoscintigraphy and gamma probe biopsy is necessary to show predictable lymph flow to the regional sentinel node, to multiple sentinel nodes or unpredictable lymph flow to extra-regional sentinel nodes and for performing sentinel node procedure. The standard protocol for the evaluation of the sentinel node metastases consists of extensive histopathological investigation including step Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) stained sections and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: A high rate of success of the identification of the sentinel node for breast cancer was reported. The presence or absence of metastasis in this node is a very accurate predictor of overall nodal status. The temptation to examine the sentinel node with the greatest possible degree of accuracy highlights one of the major problems related to sentinel node biopsy. The success of the sentinel node procedure depends primarily on the adequate functional capacity necessary for sufficient uptake to ensure the accurate identification. In negative sentinel-node patients a complete axillary lymph node dissection is avoidable. In sentinel-node positive patients and clinically negative patients a postoperative radiotherapy would permit an adequate tumor control. The last 2 procedures permit a low morbidity. In the actual TNM classification it was recently introduced a definition of a "pN0" patient based on sentinel node biopsy. New target volumes are defined for adjuvant radiotherapy or lymphatic basins could be spared from unnecessary irradiation. CONCLUSION: The sentinel node concept seems to revolutionize the treatment of early breast cancer. Biopsy of the sentinel node is a highly accurate, minimally invasive method of staging patients and can substantially reduce the morbidity and costs of treatment by avoiding unnecessary complete axillary lymph node dissection. The procedure may lead to a more justifiable approach to adjuvant therapy strategies with low complication rates. The identification of the individual lymphatic flow pattern would permit the irradiation of the individual locoregional lymphatic basin.     

FDG-PET for axillary lymph node staging in primary breast cancer

Management of the axilla in patients with operable breast cancer is still one of the most controversial areas in clinical oncology. The best procedure to examine the lymph nodes is still standard axillary lymph node dissection; nevertheless, the morbidity associated with this procedure is well known. Based on these considerations, it is important for progress in the treatment of operable breast cancer that strategies are found that permit a less invasive method of axillary sampling which does not impair the patient's quality of life. The technique of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy has recently been proposed for this purpose, with very important results. SLN has now become routine practice in the surgical management of breast cancer, and in many institutions patients with a negative SLN biopsy are spared axillary dissection, while those with a positive SLN biopsy are submitted to axillary node dissection. The good accuracy of SLN biopsy represents a significant advance in the management of primary breast cancer; however, false negative axillary results can occur in a variable percentage of patients, and the contribution of the SLN procedure to the detection of metastases in the internal mammary and supraclavicular lymph nodes is not clear. Among the recently developed imaging modalities, positron emission tomography (PET) with (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) has in particular been applied to the study of lymph node metastases in cancer patients. Several clinical studies have been carried out to evaluate the accuracy of PET in the axillary staging of operable primary breast cancer. These studies have sometimes provided conflicting results, either supporting the possibility of using FDG-PET to select patients who need axillary dissection or questioning whether FDG-PET can accurately assess the axillary status in primary breast cancer. All the limitations and the advantages of FDG-PET are discussed in this paper, by examining the performance of scanner technology and the possible causes of the false negative results. In the experience of the authors, comparing FDG-PET with SLN biopsy in the same series of patients, the results seem to indicate that the lower sensitivity of PET is restricted to micrometastases. Of course, this limitation of PET has to be analysed in relation to the importance of such small axillary metastases for the outcome of patients with breast cancer. The added value offered by PET in breast cancer staging in comparison with intraoperative detection of the sentinel node lies in the fact that FDG-PET is a non-invasive procedure that allows, within a single examination, the biological characterisation of breast cancer and viewing of the entire body.     

Evaluation of early versus delayed lymphoscintigraphic imaging in detecting internal mammary sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer: a multicenter study to establish an optimal lymphatic mapping protocol

OBJECTIVE: Metastases in the internal mammary lymph nodes have an important prognostic value in breast cancer. Lymphatic mapping and sentinel node biopsy of internal mammary nodes improves staging and permits specific therapeutic strategies, thereby possibly improving final outcome. Therefore, optimal lymphoscintigraphic results are needed. Visualization of internal mammary lymph drainage, however, is influenced by several factors. We evaluated the effect of different time intervals between radioactive tracer injection and lymphoscintigraphy on visualization of internal mammary sentinel lymph nodes. METHODS: From February 1997 to August 2001 a total of 682 eligible breast cancer patients underwent sentinel lymph node mapping. The technique involved the injection of 370 MBq (10 mCi) (99m)Tc-nanocolloid peritumorally. In 470 patients (group A) the time interval between injection of the radiocolloid and lymphoscintigraphy was 16 h, compared to 2.5 h in 212 patients (group B). RESULTS: Patient characteristics showed no statistically significant difference between both groups for age and location of the tumour. Axillary hotspots were visualized in 97% in group A and 96% in group B. Lymphoscintigraphy showed internal mammary hotspots in 21% in group A, compared to 27% in group B. The mean number of internal mammary hotspots per patient was 1.9 in group A and 1.8 in group B. CONCLUSIONS: We found no significant differences between early and delayed lymphoscintigraphic imaging in visualizing internal mammary sentinel lymph nodes.