Axillary staging using positron emission tomography in breast cancer patients qualifying for sentinel lymph node biopsy

Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) is the standard of care for nodal staging of patients with invasive breast cancer. Due to significant somatic and psychological side effects, replacement of ALND with less invasive techniques is desirable. The goal of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of axillary lymph node (ALN) staging by means of positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in breast cancer patients qualifying for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). FDG-PET was performed within 1 week before surgery in 24 clinically node-negative breast cancer patients with tumors smaller than 3 cm. Sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) were identified by preoperative lymphoscintigraphy following peritumoral technetium 99m-labeled colloid albumin injection, and by intraoperative gamma detector and blue dye localization. Following SLNB, a standard ALND was performed. Serial sectioning and immunohistochemistry of the SLN as well as standard histologic examination of the non-SLN was performed. FDG-PET detected all primary breast cancers. Staging of ALNs by PET was accurate in 15 of 24 patients (62.5%), whereas PET staging was false negative in 8 of 10 node-positive patients and false-positive in 1 patient. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of FDG-PET for nodal status was 20%, 93%, 67%, and 62%, respectively. The mean diameter of false-negative ALN metastases was 7.5 mm (range 1-15 mm). Lymph node staging using FDG-PET is not accurate enough in clinically node-negative patients with breast cancer qualifying for SLNB and should not be used for this purpose.     

Sentinel lymph node biopsy lowers the rate of lymphedema when compared with standard axillary lymph node dissection

Arm edema occurs in 20 to 30 per cent of patients who undergo axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for carcinoma of the breast. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in lieu of ALND for staging of breast cancer significantly lowers this morbidity. We hypothesized that SLNB would have a lower lymphedema rate than conventional axillary dissection. Patients who underwent SLNB were compared with those who underwent level I and II axillary node dissection. A total of 125 patients were evaluated with 77 patients who underwent SLNB and 48 patients who underwent ALND. The arm circumference 10 cm above and 10 cm below the olecranon process was measured on both arms. In this series a difference in arm circumference greater than 3 cm between the operated and nonoperated side was defined as significant for lymphedema. Lymphedema was seen in two of 77 (2.6%) patients in the SLNB group as compared with 13 of 48 (27%) ALND patients. Given the above data patients who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy show a significantly lower rate of lymphedema than those who had axillary lymph node dissection. This has an important impact on long-term postoperative management of patients with breast cancer.     

Lymphatic mapping improves staging and reduces morbidity in women undergoing total mastectomy for breast carcinoma

Lymphatic mapping (LM) and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) have become widely accepted in the setting of breast conservation surgery. We hypothesized that LM can be extended to women undergoing total mastectomy, being technically feasible, yielding highly accurate and sensitive results, improving axillary staging, and reducing postoperative morbidity. Between 1995 and 2003, 99 women (mean age 59 years, range 34-87) underwent 100 mastectomies with LM using blue dye alone. Fifty-nine operations (60%) were followed by a completion axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Ninety per cent of patients had invasive carcinoma; 10 per cent had in situ carcinoma. Mean tumor size was 2.5 cm (range 0.3-8 cm). One hundred fifty-nine sentinel nodes (SNs) (mean 1.65, range 1-5) were successfully identified in 96 (96%) axillae. Twenty-five (25%) sentinel nodes revealed nodal metastases. Five of 25 (20%) SNs had micrometasteses. Three patients had a false-negative SN, yielding a sensitivity of 91 per cent. The accuracy of LM was 97 per cent. No patient who underwent SLNB alone developed lymphedema, axillary seroma formation, infection, or restricted arm movement. This was contrasted with patients undergoing ALND, where 10 (16%) developed lymphedema and 2 (3%) developed an infection. Ten (25%) patients developed axillary paresthesias after SNB compared with 47 (78%) patients after ALND (P < 0.0001). LM in the setting of mastectomy is accurate and sensitive. This technique improves axillary staging and decreases morbidity. Patients who are not candidates for breast conservation should be offered LM and SLNB at the time of mastectomy.     

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer--a modified audit for surgeons in private practice.

BACKGROUND: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a technique that is widely used in the management of early breast cancer. Surgeons are encouraged to validate their initial SLNB results by performing an audit in which both a SLNB and an axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) are performed. For surgeons in solo private practice this is not financially viable as the SLNB would not be paid for by the medical insurance companies. METHODS: Forty consenting patients were enrolled in the audit. The initial 5 patients (group A) were entered into a traditional audit - an ALND and a SLNB. The next 35 patients (group B) formed part of a modified audit - an axillary sample was performed if the sentinel node was negative (group B1) and an ALND if the node was positive (group B2). RESULTS: Ninety-two per cent of patients with an ipsilateral sentinel axillary node on preoperative scintigraphy had their node identified at the time of surgery. Eight patients had evidence of lymphatic spread. Two patients had parasternal sentinel nodes which were not removed. Group A had a mean of 10.8 nodes removed, group B1 5.8 nodes, and group B2 13.2 nodes. Twenty-three of 35 patients (66%) in group B were spared an axillary dissection. CONCLUSION: The modified audit of group B allowed patients to benefit from the procedure (and thus the medical aids charged) and yet permitted our team to ascertain the accuracy of the technique in our hands. We feel this is an approach that may be used by other surgeons working alone.     

Estadificación ganglionar tras terapia sistémica primaria en mujeres con cáncer de mama y afectación ganglionar al diagnóstico

ObjectiveThe main objective of this study is to analyze the efficacy of combined axillary marking (lymph node clipping and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB)) for axillary staging in patients with primary systemic treatment (PST) and pathologically confirmed node-positive breast cancer at diagnosis. The secondary objective is to determine the impact of lymph node marking in the suppression of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in the study group.MethodsWe conducted a prospective study in which lymph node staging was performed using wire localization of positive lymph nodes and a SLNB with dual tracer. All patients who presented no metastatic involvement of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) or clip/wire-marked lymph node were spared an ALND. The multidisciplinary committee agreed on axillary treatment for patients with lymph node involvement.ResultsEighty one patients met the inclusion criteria. We identified and extirpated the clip/wire-marked node in 80 of 81 patients (98.8%), with SLNB performed successfully in 88,9% of patients. The SLN and wire-marked node matched in 78.9% of patients; 76.2% of patients did not undergo ALND.ConclusionsThe combined axillary marking (clip and SLNB) in patients with metastatic lymph node at diagnosis and PST offers a high identification rate (98.8%%) and a high correlation between the wire-marked lymph node and the SLN (78.9%%). This procedure has enabled the suppression of ALND in 76.2% of patients.     

A Prospective Evaluation of Positron Emission Tomography Scanning,Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy,and Standard Axillary Dissection for Axillary Staging in Patients with Early Stage Breast Cancer

Background: Positron emission tomography (PET) is a noninvasive imaging modality that can detect malignant lymph nodes. This study determined the sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and likelihood ratios of PET scanning compared with standard axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in staging the axilla in women with early stage breast cancer.Methods: Women with clinical stage I or II breast cancer had whole body PET scanning before ALND and SLNB, in a prospective, blinded protocol. ALND were evaluated by standard hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining techniques, while sentinel nodes were also examined for micrometastatic disease.Results: A total of 98 patients were recruited. PET compared with ALND demonstrated sensitivity of 0.40 (95% CI, 0.16, 0.68), specificity 0.97 (CI, 0.90, 0.99), positive likelihood ratio 14.4 (CI, 3.21, 64.5), positive predictive value 0.75 (CI, 0.35, 0.97), and false–negative rate of 0.60 (CI, 0.32, 0.84). Test properties were similar for PET compared with sentinel nodes positive by H&E staining. A few false–positive scans (0.028, CI, 0.003, 0.097) were seen. Multiple logistic regression analysis found that PET accuracy was better in patients with high grade and larger tumors. Increased size and number of positive nodes were also associated with a positive PET scan.Conclusions: The sensitivity of PET compared with ALND and SLNB was low, whereas PET scanning had high specificity and positive predictive values. The study suggests that PET scanning cannot replace histologic staging in early stage breast cancer. The low rate of false–positive findings suggests that PET can identify women who can forego SLNB and require full axillary dissection.     

Multidetector-row computed tomography for the preoperative evaluation of axillary nodal status in patients with breast cancer

Purpose We evaluated the effectiveness of multidetector-row computed tomography (MD-CT) for detecting axillary lymph nodal status (ALNS) in patients with breast cancer. Methods We reviewed 42 patients with breast cancer. A metastatic lymph node on MD-CT was defined as oval or round, with more than 5 mm on the short axis. We evaluated ALNS preoperatively by both palpation and MD-CT findings and performed sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and complete axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Results For establishing the ALNS, MD-CT showed a sensitivity of 76.9%, a specificity of 96.6%, and an accuracy of 90.5%. On the basis of the MD-CT findings, misdiagnosis was made in 4 of the 42 patients, only one of which was false positive. On the other hand, one patient with a histologically negative sentinel lymph node (SLN) result had metastasis only in a non-SLN. Preoperative MD-CT showed a positive node in this patient. Conclusions Multidetector-row computed tomography assists in identifying women who require ALND without SLNB, with sufficient positive predictive value. Falsenegative detection by SLNB could be avoided with careful interpretation of the axillary lymph nodes shown by MD-CT.     

Clinical significance of breast cancer micrometastasis in the sentinel lymph node

The advantages of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in breast cancer patients include an enhanced pathological examination of a small number of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs), which permits more frequent detection of micrometastasis and isolated tumor cells (ITCs). At the same time, however, SLNB raises two new concerns: whether minimal SLN involvement has a significant impact on survival and whether patients with such minimal involvement should undergo further axillary dissections. Two large randomized studies, ACOSOG Z0011 and IBCSG 23-01, have demonstrated that axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) can be avoided for select SLN-positive patients. However, for patients with macrometastasis in SLN or who do not meet the inclusion criteria of the two studies, ALND is still the standard management. On the other hand, previous studies appear to disagree on the prognostic significance of minimal SLN involvement. One of the reasons for this discrepancy is the great variability among pathological examinations for SLN. The OSNA method, which is a fast molecular detection procedure targeting cytokeratin 19 (CK19) mRNA, has the advantage of reproducibility among institutions and the capability to examine a whole lymph node within 30–40 min. This novel method may thus be able to overcome the issue of variability among conventional pathological examinations.     

Is there a requirement for axillary lymph node dissection following identification of micro-metastasis or isolated tumour cells at sentinel node biopsy for breast cancer?

IntroductionRecent decades have seen a significant shift towards conservative management of the axilla. Increasingly, immunohistochemical analysis of sentinel nodes leads to the detection of small tumour deposits, the significance of which remains uncertain. The aims of this study are to examine patients whose sentinel lymph nodes are positive for macro-metastasis, micro-metastasis or isolated tumour cells (ITCs) and to determine the rate of further nodal disease after axillary lymph node dissection (ALND).MethodsA retrospective analysis of all patients undergoing a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) between January 2007 and December 2010 in a tertiary referral breast unit was performed. Patients who underwent an axillary lymph node dissection for macro-metastasis, micro-metastasis or ITCs were identified. Demographics, histological data and the rate of further axillary disease were examined.ResultsIn total, 664 breast cancer patients attended the symptomatic breast unit during the study period, 360 of whom underwent a SLNB. Seventy patients had a SLNB positive for macro-metastasis. All of these patients underwent ALND. A positive SLNB with either micro-metastasis or ITCs was identified in 58 patients. Only 41 of the 58 patients went on to have an ALND, due primarily to variations in surgeons' preferences. Nineteen patients with micro-metastasis underwent an ALND. Four patients had further axillary disease (21%). Twenty-two patients had ITCs identified, of whom only one had further disease (4.5%). No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of tumour size, grade, lymphovascular invasion or oestrogen receptor status.ConclusionALND should be considered in patients with micro-metastasis at SLNB. It should rarely be employed in the setting of SLNB positive for ITCs.     

前哨淋巴结活检术替代腋窝淋巴结清扫术在乳腺癌中的临床应用

目的探讨前哨淋巴结活检术（SLNB）替代腋窝淋巴结清扫术（ALND）在早期乳腺癌患者中的应用价值和安全性。方法对2003年1月到2005年12月期间行前哨淋巴结活检术替代腋窝清扫术的125例患者作为研究组,对同一时期行腋窝清扫术且术后病理淋巴结阳性个数≤1的45例患者作为对照组;比较两组患者术后上肢并发症的发生情况及腋窝复发情况。结果SLNB替代ALND术后上肢麻木、肿胀、疼痛、僵硬、上肢活动受限及肌力减退方面的并发症均明显较ALND少,在随访36．5个月中,仅出现一例腋窝复发。结论前哨淋巴结活检术替代腋窝淋巴结清扫术术后并发症明显减少,腋窝复发率低,是早期乳腺癌患者的安全分期手术。     

Canadian Association of General Surgeons and American College of Surgeons Evidence Based Reviews in Surgery. 23.: ASCO recommended guidelines for sentinal lymph node biopsy for early-stage breast cancer

Objective: To develop a guideline for the use of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in early-stage breast cancer Data sources: Electronic search of MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Best Evidence, DARE, Dissertation Abstracts, as well as hand-searching techniques Study selection: Only studies that included full lymph node dissection, regardless of the results of SLNB were included. Sixty-nine trials met the eligibility criteria between 1994 and 2004. Data extraction: Studies were extracted and evaluated by 2 blinded observers. Recommendations were based on review of the literature and expert opinion as well as consideration of the Guidelines for Performance of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Breast Cancer developed by the American Society of Breast Surgeons in 2003. Main results: A review of the available literature, including 1 published randomized controlled trial comparing SNLB with axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), 4 meta-analyses and 69 published single-centre and multicentre trials showed that, when performed by experienced clinicians, SNLB appears to be a safe and acceptably accurate method for identifying early-stage breast cancer without the involvement of the axillary lymph nodes. There are no data on the effect of SLNB on long-term survival. Conclusion: SLNB is an appropriate initial alternative to routine staging with ALND for patients with early-stage breast cancer with clinically negative axillary nodes. Completion ALND remains standard treatment for patients with axillary metastases identified on SNLB. However, appropriately identified patients with negative results of SLNB, when done under the directions of an experienced surgeon, need not have completion ALND. Data suggest that SLNB is associated with less morbidity than ALND.     

Prediction of tumour involvement in remaining axillary lymph nodes when the sentinel node in a woman with breast cancer contains metastases

BACKGROUND: In a significant proportion of women with breast cancer, the sentinel node is the only involved node in the axilla. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with histologically positive non-sentinel lymph nodes. METHODS: Between 1997 and 2002, 800 women with early breast cancer underwent sentinel node biopsy. In 263 patients the node contained metastases, including 83 with micrometastases detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC), 40 micrometastases detected on haematoxylin, eosin and safranine (HES) staining, and 140 macrometastases. All clinical and histological criteria were recorded and analysed with reference to histology of the non-sentinel node. RESULTS: The risk of metastasis in the non-sentinel lymph node was related to the volume of the tumour in the sentinel node. Non-sentinel nodes were involved in five (6.0 per cent) of 83 women when the sentinel node contained only micrometastatic cells detected on IHC, and in three (7.5 per cent) of 40 women when micrometastases were detected by HES, compared with 55 (39.3 per cent) of 140 when the sentinel node contained macrometastases on HES staining. Univariate analysis revealed a significant association between non-sentinel node involvement and type of metastasis within the sentinel node, clinical primary tumour size, palpable axillary lymph nodes before operation, pathological primary tumour size and the presence of peritumoral lymphovascular invasion. On multivariate analysis, the type of metastasis within the sentinel node (P < 0.001), histological tumour size greater than 20 mm (P = 0.017) and the presence of palpable axillary nodes before operation (P = 0.014) remained significant. CONCLUSION: Clinical and pathological factors associated with sentinel node histology can reliably predict women for whom further axillary clearance is recommended, but it is not yet possible to determine a subgroup of patients in whom the sentinel node is the only involved node and for whom further axillary treatment may be unnecessary.     

Determinants of diagnostic performance of [F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography for axillary staging in breast cancer

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively investigate determinants of the accuracy of staging axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer using [F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET). METHODS: Patients with primary operable breast cancer underwent FDG PET of the chest followed by sentinel node biopsy (SNB, n = 47) and/or complete axillary lymph node dissection (ALND, n = 23). PET scans were independently interpreted by three observers in a blinded fashion with respect to the FDG avidity of the primary tumor and the axillary status. The results were compared to histopathological analyses of the axillary lymph nodes. Clinicians were blinded to the PET results. RESULTS: Axillary lymph node specimens and FDG PET scans were evaluated in 70 patients (59% cT1). Overall, 32 (46%) had lymph node metastases as established by SNB (18/47) or ALND (14/23), 20 of which were confined to a single node. The overall sensitivity of FDG PET was 25%, with a specificity of 97%. PET results were false-negative in all 18 positive SNBs and true-positive in 8/14 in the ALND group. The performance of FDG PET depended on the axillary tumor load and the FDG avidity of the primary tumor. Intense uptake in the primary tumor was found in only 57% of the patients, and this was independent of the size. There was excellent interobserver agreement of visual assessment of FDG uptake in primary tumor and axillary lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS: The sensitivity of FDG PET to detect occult axillary metastases in operable breast cancer was low, and it was a function of axillary tumor load and FDG avidity of the primary tumor. Even though the clinical relevance of occult disease detected by SNB needs to be confirmed, it is suggested that FDG PET in these patients should be focused on exploiting its nearly perfect specificity and the potential prognostic relevance of variable FDG uptake.     

Feasibility and oncological safety of sentinel node biopsy in breast cancer patients with a local recurrence

ObjectivesTo investigate the role and feasibility of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in breast cancer patients with a local recurrence and no clinically positive axillary lymph nodes.Materials and MethodsA total of 71 patients underwent SLNB for breast cancer recurrence. At first surgery, they had received SLNB (46.5%), axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) (36.6%) or no axillary surgery (16.9%).ResultsLymphatic migration was successful in 53 out of 71 patients (74.6%) and was significantly higher in patients with previous SLNB or no axillary surgery than in those with previous ALND (87.9% vs. 53.8%; p = 0.009). Aberrant lymphatic migration pathways were observed in 7 patients (13.2%). The surgical SLNB was successfully performed in 51 patients (71.8%). In 46 patients (90.2%) the SLN was histologically negative, in 3 patients (5.9%) micrometastastatic and in 2 patients (3.9%) macrometastatic. The 2 patients with a macrometastates in SLN underwent ALND, In 4 out of the 18 patients with failure of tracer migration ALND, performed as surgeon’s choice, did not find any metastatic node. After a median follow-up period of 39 months (range: 2–182 months), no axillary recurrence has been diagnosed.ConclusionA SLNB in patients with locally recurrent breast cancer, no previous ALND and negative axillary lymph nodes is technically feasible and impacts on the ALND rate. In patients who at primary surgery received ALND, migration rate is significantly lower, aberrant migration is frequent and no clinically useful information has been obtained.     

Detection of cancer in augmented breasts by positron emission tomography.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic efficiency of positron emission tomography with 18-fluorine fluorodeoxyglucose in detecting breast cancer in augmented breasts. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: University hospital, Korea. SUBJECT: 9 cases or 8 patients with breasts augmented with paraffin or silicone. INTERVENTION: FDG-PET, mammography, and ultrasonography RESULTS: The mammogram detected the breast cancer in only 1 of 3 patients, and ultrasonography gave a false positive result in 1 patient with an augmented breast. In contrast, PET predicted all the cancers and 5/6 benign lesions. 2/3 breast cancers had axillary FDG uptake interpreted as showing metastatic involvement, and in 1 case with cancer with no axillary lymph node involvement there was no FDG uptake in the axilla, which correlated with the pathological finding. CONCLUSIONS: Although the high cost of PET makes its use as a screening test for all patients with augmented breasts unrealistic, it would be the best diagnostic choice if other methods failed.     

Prediction of non-sentinel lymph node status in breast cancer with a micrometastatic sentinel node

BACKGROUND: Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) may not be necessary in women with breast cancer who have micrometastasis in a sentinel node (SN), owing to the low risk of non-SN (NSN) involvement. The aim of this study was to identify a subgroup of women with a micrometastatic SN and a negligible risk of positive NSNs in whom ALND may be avoided. METHODS: Some 237 of 241 women with a macrometastatic SN and 122 of 138 with a micrometastatic SN underwent completion ALND and were compared with respect to NSN involvement. The 122 patients with SN micrometastasis were further analysed to determine factors that could predict the risk of positive NSNs. RESULTS: A total of 121 (51.1 per cent) of 237 women with SN macrometastasis had positive NSNs compared with 22 (18.0 per cent) of 122 with SN micrometastasis (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that size of SN micrometastasis (odds ratio 3.49 (95 per cent confidence interval (c.i.) 1.32 to 9.23); P = 0.012) and presence of lymphovascular invasion (odds ratio 0.23 (95 per cent c.i. 0.05 to 1.00); P = 0.050) were significantly associated with positive NSNs. SN micrometastasis less than 0.5 mm in diameter combined with absence of lymphovascular invasion was associated with an 8.5 per cent risk of NSN involvement. CONCLUSION: Size of micrometastasis and presence of lymphovascular invasion were significantly related to the risk of finding additional positive axillary lymph nodes when the SN contained only micrometastasis.     

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Breast Cancer: Current Controversies

Abstract:   Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has replaced the routine level I and II axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for women with clinically node-negative T1 and T2 breast cancer. Studies have shown that SLNB is highly predictive of axillary nodal status with a false-negative of rate less than 10%. Our purpose was to address some of the ongoing controversies about this procedure, including technical issues, use of preoperative lymphoscintigraphy, internal mammary lymph node biopsy, criteria for patient selection (in intraductal carcinoma?), its staging accuracy, and the clinical approach when a SLNB was found to be negative or positive on pathologic examination. After the revision of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system for breast cancer in 2002, the evaluation of internal mammary lymph nodes and determination of micrometastases by hematoxylin-eosin or by immunohistochemistry have become increasingly important in staging of patients. Recent guideline recommendations developed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Expert Panel in 2005 are also discussed. Long-term follow-up results of ongoing studies will provide more accurate assessment of the prognostic significance of SLNB and its value in the prevention of breast cancer-related morbidity in axillary staging compared to ALND.      

Meta-analysis of sentinel lymph node biopsy after preoperative chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer

BACKGROUND: Women with breast cancer are more frequently being treated with preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The reliability of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) following chemotherapy has not been determined. This was a meta-analysis of studies that examined the results of SLNB after preoperative chemotherapy. METHODS: Included articles had to meet two criteria. First, patients had to have had operable breast cancer and to have undergone SLNB after preoperative chemotherapy and, second, patients had to have undergone subsequent axillary lymph node dissection. Meta-analyses were performed in which Bayesian hierarchical models were created to estimate the identification rate (IR) and sensitivity of SLNB in this setting. RESULTS: Twenty-one studies were identified that included a total of 1273 patients. The IRs reported ranged from 72 to 100 per cent, with a pooled estimate of 90 per cent. The sensitivity of SLNB ranged from 67 to 100 per cent, with a pooled estimate of 88 (95 per cent confidence interval 85 to 90) per cent. Meta-analyses performed using Bayesian modelling resulted in (posterior) estimates for IR and sensitivity of 91 (95 per cent credible interval 88 to 94) and 88 (95 per cent credible interval 84 to 91) per cent respectively. CONCLUSION: SLNB is a reliable tool for planning treatment after preoperative chemotherapy.     

Value of positron emission tomography in the diagnosis of recurrent oesophageal carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Positron emission tomography (PET) with [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) might be useful for staging oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). FDG-PET may be more accurate than computed tomography (CT) in diagnosing lymph node metastasis. This retrospective study compared the ability of FDG-PET and CT to diagnose recurrent oesophageal carcinoma. METHODS: Fifty-five patients with thoracic oesophageal SCC who had undergone radical oesophagectomy were studied. The accuracy of FDG-PET and CT in detecting recurrence during follow-up was calculated using data from the first images generated by either modality that suggested the presence of recurrent disease. Lesions deemed to be equivocal on these scans were considered as positive for recurrence. RESULTS: Twenty-seven of the 55 patients had recurrent disease in a total of 37 organs. Locoregional recurrence was observed in 19 patients (35 per cent). Distant recurrent disease occurred in 15 patients (27 per cent) in 18 organs. Six patients had recurrence in the liver, four in the lung, six in bone and two in distant lymph nodes. FDG-PET showed 96 per cent sensitivity, 68 per cent specificity and 82 per cent accuracy in demonstrating recurrent disease. The corresponding values for CT were 89, 79 and 84 per cent. The sensitivity of FDG-PET was higher than that of CT in detecting locoregional recurrence, but its specificity was lower because of FDG uptake in the gastric tube and thoracic lymph nodes. In distant organs the sensitivity of PET in detecting lung metastasis was lower than that of CT, but its sensitivity for bone metastasis was higher. CONCLUSION: FDG-PET has a larger field than CT. Combined PET-CT would appear to be an appropriate modality for the detection of recurrent oesophageal cancer.     

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??Research hotspots in axillary treatment for early-stage breast cancer WANG Mao-li,WU Ke-jin. Department of Breast Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China
Corresponding author: WU Ke-jin, E-mail: kejinwu@163.com
Abstract Sentinel lymph node biopsy(SLNB) has replaced axillary lymph node dissection(ALND) to stage clinically node-negative breast cancer patients. In the patients with low-volume nodal metastasis, ALND could be safely avoided when treated with breast-conserving therapy eligible for Z0011 or IBCSG 23-01, or radiation considered referring to AMAROS. ALND is still recommended for patients with involved axillary nodes received mastectomy and not planned for radiation. Addition of regional nodal irradiation in subgroups of patients reduces locoregional recurrence significantly and should be recommended taken all clinical and pathologic factors considered for individual patients. For patients with clinically node-negative disease, SLNB following neoadjuvant therapy is considered an acceptable approach.Ultrasound-guided biopsy and localization of suspicious axillary lymph nodes before neoadjuvant therapy are preferred. SLNB may be an option after neoadjuvant therapy in patients with proven positive axillary nodes who achieved clinical complete response, given that usage double tracers, biopsy more than 2 sentinel lymph nodes, evaluation the labelled lymph node before neoadjuvant therapy, and stage N0 (i+) may be regarded as the criteria for ALND. ALND remains the standard-of-care for the subset of patients in clinical practice, unless enrolled on some clinical trials. Staying the current of axillary treatments in early-stage breast cancer helps to make wiser clinical decision and organize further in-depth research, so that safe, effective and moderate axillary treatments can be performed.