Breast tumors: immunoglobulins in axillary lymph nodes

The immunohistochemical determination of immunoglobulins IgA, IgG and IgM in axillary lymph nodes from 50 unselected breast ductal carcinomas disclosed that lymph nodes with IgG-positive lymphoid follicles and/or metastasized lymph nodes with IgM-positive lymphoid cells are statistically related to breast tumors with a high histologic grade and more than 3 lymph node metastases.     

Tuberculosis of axillary lymph nodes with primary breast cancer

A rare case of tuberculosis of axillary lymph nodes occurring with primary breast cancer is presented. A 78-year-old woman with no history of pulmonary tuberculosis was admitted to our hospital to undergo examination for a lump in her right breast. The tumor was in the upper outer quadrant of the right breast. On palpation, the tumor was 1.2 cm in diameter and axillary lymph node swelling was noted. Mammography disclosed a spiculated mass and swelling and calcification of the axillary lymph nodes. Sonography showed an irregular hypoechoic mass in the right breast and lymph node swelling in the right axilla, indicating breast cancer with axillary lymph nodes metastases. Chest X-ray showed clustered calcifications in the right axilla and a granular shadow in the right upper lobe. Breast conserving therapy was carried out. Invasive papillotubular carcinoma of the right breast and granulomas with calcification of lymph nodes, compatible with tuberculosis, was diagnosed. Tubercle bacillis were detected by culture of lymph nodes. This case suggests that X-ray is useful for diagnosing lymph node tuberculosis. Lymph node tuberculosis should be suspected when lymph node swelling is noted and X-ray shows clustered calcifications in axillary lymph nodes.     

Pathology of primary tumors and axillary lymph nodes in British and Japanese women with breast cancer

Histopathologic features of the primary tumor and axillary lymph nodes from 97 consecutive patients with breast cancer from Japan were compared with those from 164 patients from England. Between the two groups, there were statistically significant differences in the morphology of the primary tumors regarding nuclear grade and patterns of tumor infiltration. In axillary lymph nodes, sinus histiocytosis was much more common in Japanese cases than in British cases, and was related to a diminished frequency of axillary node metastases. Germinal centers were also more common in the nodes of Japanese patients and were similarly associated with diminished frequency of metastases.     

Imaging of axillary lymph nodes

There is increasing interest in the radiological diagnosis of axillary lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer, especially in the preoperative diagnosis of metastatic nodes. Both CT (computed tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) are cross-sectional imaging methods that produce high-quality images of the axilla. MRI also uses contrast enhancement profile, for example in imaging of breast lesions. Few studies have been published on this subject, but the latest have shown high sensitivity and specificity (CT 93.8 and 82.1%, respectively; MRI 90 and 82%, respectively), although, both CT and MRI are restricted to imaging only. US (ultrasound) is widely spread and is fast and accurate with high resolution. Sensitivity and specificity vary (68.2-92% and 90-100%, respectively). Most importantly, there is the possibility of US-guided FNAB (fine-needle aspiration biopsy) of pathological nodes, which increases the specificity. Initial results with colour Doppler are promising, but a recent study has shown that the presence of colour Doppler flow signal is highly non-specific. Other parameters such as flow pattern and distribution may prove to be of value in this method. Today, the method of choice for the daily routine is US in conjunction with FNAB.     

Evaluation of tissue harmonic imaging for breast tumors and axillary lymph nodes

We examined whether tissue harmonic imaging (THI) produces higher quality images of the breast and axilla than conventional sonography (CS). We studied 70 breast tumors in 68 consecutive patients and 170 axillary lymph nodes in 19 breast cancer patients. These areas were investigated by THI and CS, then image quality was evaluated by the consensus of three skilled radiologists. THI transmits and receives at 5.0 and 10.0 MHz, respectively, whereas CS uses 9.0 MHz. The evaluation parameters of image quality consisted of contrast and resolution with a visual scoring system. Resolution was individually evaluated on both proximal and distal sides of lesions. The grade of acoustic shadow was also evaluated. The quality in contrast (p<0.001) and proximal resolution (p<0.001) of breast tumors by THI was far superior to those of CS. Intense acoustic shadows degraded the distal resolution of breast lesions in THI compared with CS, but the quality of THI images of the axillary lymph nodes was higher with respect to all parameters (p<0.001). The grade of acoustic shadows did not differ between two modes of gray-scale sonography for lymph nodes. THI may improve diagnostic accuracy of breast and axillary lesions because image quality is improved, but acoustic shadows continue to present obstacles.     

Primary axillary radiotherapy as axillary treatment in breast-conserving therapy for patients with breast carcinoma and clinically negative axillary lymph nodes

BACKGROUND: The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness and morbidity of primary axillary radiotherapy in breast-conserving therapy for postmenopausal, clinically axillary lymph node negative patients with early stage breast carcinoma. METHODS: Between 1983-1997, 105 patients with clinically negative axillary lymph nodes and breast carcinoma were treated with wide local excision followed by radiotherapy to the breast, and axillary and supraclavicular lymph node areas. Adjuvant treatment with tamoxifen was given to 75 patients. The median follow-up of patients still alive was 41 months (range, 8-137 months). Fifty-five patients with no evidence of disease at last follow-up were examined prospectively with respect to late functional damage. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 64 years. Three patients developed a local recurrence. No isolated axillary lymph node recurrence was observed. In two patients, axillary recurrence was accompanied by distant metastases. The 5-year disease free interval and the overall survival were 82% (standard error [SE], 6%) and 83% (SE, 6%), respectively. In five patients, arm edema was reported and impaired shoulder function was reported in seven patients. Prospectively scored, arm edema was reported subjectively by the patient in 4% and objectively measured in 11% of cases. Impaired shoulder function was reported subjectively in 35% and objectively measured in 17% of cases. No brachial plexus neuropathy was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Primary axillary radiotherapy for postmenopausal women with clinically lymph node negative, early stage breast carcinoma was found to result in low axillary lymph node recurrence rates with only limited late complications. Therefore, primary axillary radiotherapy should be considered as axillary treatment in selected patients as an alternative to axillary lymph node dissection.     

Treatment of breast carcinoma in patients with clinically negative axillary lymph nodes using radiotherapy versus axillary dissection

BACKGROUND: The role of axillary lymph node dissection (AxD) for patients with breast carcinoma who have clinically negative lymph nodes (cN0) and undergo breast-conserving therapy has been controversial. If patients do not undergo AxD, then it is uncertain whether specific lymph node irradiation should be given. The authors compared the results obtained from patients w ho underwent AxD with the results from patients who received axillary irradiation (AxR) using one of two radiotherapy techniques. METHODS: Patients with T1-T2cN0 breast carcinoma were treated from 1983 to 2002 with either AxD (80 patients) or AxR (1134 patients received tangential-field [2-field] irradiation, and 303 patients received 3-field irradiation). The median follow-up was 161 months for the AxD group and 66 months for the AxR group (55 months for patients who received tangential-field irradiation, and 122 months for patients who received 3-field irradiation). RESULTS: One patient in the AxD group and 35 patients in the AxR group had axillary recurrences. The 10-year cumulative axillary recurrence rates were 1.3% and 4.6% for the AxD group and the AxR group, respectively (P = 0.21). For patients with T1 tumors, the 10-year overall survival rates for the two groups were 94.7% and 92.7%, respectively (P = 0.34); and, for patients with T2 tumors, the 10-year overall survival rates were 92.5% and 89.1%, respectively (P = 0.34). In the AxR group, the 5-year axillary recurrence rates were 2.5% for patients who received tangential-field irradiation and 1.7% for patients who received 3-field irradiation (P = 0.18), and the 5-year regional recurrence rates for the two groups were 4.8% and 2.4%, respectively (P = 0.048). On multivariate analysis, positive lymphovascular invasion, outer tumor location, and larger tumor size were significant risk factors for regional failure. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with cN0 breast carcinoma, AxD and AxR yielded the same overall survival rates. Most patients can be treated safely with tangential-field irradiation alone. Patients who are at increased risk of regional failure may benefit from three-field irradiation.     

淋巴结转移10枚及以上的原发乳腺癌回顾性研究

目的：回顾性分析10枚及以上腋窝淋巴结转移原发乳腺癌各临床病理因素、辅助治疗方法与预后的关系。方法：对病理确诊且腋窝淋巴结转移10枚及以上原发乳腺癌患者186例，采用X^2检验和COX模型，分析诊断年龄、肿物大小、临床分期、术式、术前化疗状态、术后化疗状态、术后放疗状态、术后内分泌治疗状态、受体状态与预后的关系。结果：临床病理因素和辅助治疗方法与3、5年复发率和3、5年转移率差异均无统计学意义，P〉0．05。肿物大小与10年生存率、5年和10年无瘤生存率差异均有统计学意义，P〈0．05。临床分期10年无瘤生存率差异有统计学意义（P=0．030），而与5、10年生存率和5年无瘤生存率差异均无统计学意义，P〉0．05。术后辅助化疗、术后辅助放疗和术后辅助内分泌治疗5、10年无瘤生存率及5、10年生存率差异均有统计学意义，P〈0．05。诊断年龄、术式、激素受体状态和术前化疗状态与5年无瘤生存率、10年无瘤生存率及5、10年生存率差异均无统计学意义，P〉0．05。COX模型分析结果仅术后化疗状态是与预后相关的辅助治疗方法。结论：对于10枚及以上淋巴结转移原发乳腺癌其预后与临床病理因素和辅助治疗的选择相关。     

Minimal risk of macrometastases in the non-sentinel axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer patients with micrometastatic sentinel lymph nodes and preoperatively ultrasonically uninvolved axillary lymph nodes

Micrometastases in the sentinel lymph node (SLN) carry a considerable risk of macrometastases in the non-sentinel lymph nodes (NSLN), resulting in axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Preoperative ultrasound (US) examination of the axillary lymph nodes combined with a fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) has been proved to discover metastases in the axillary lymph nodes. The aim of our study was to assess the risk of macrometastases in NSLN in patients with micrometastatic SLN after a preoperative US examination of the axillary lymph nodes. The study included 36 patients in whom, after preoperative axillary US, micrometastases in the SLN were revealed and ALND was subsequently performed. At final histopathology, no macrometastases were discovered in the NSLN. In four patients, additional micrometastases were discovered in the NSLN. In conclusion, the risk of macrometastases in the NSLN in patients with preoperatively ultrasonically uninvolved axillary lymph nodes is minimal.     

Fatty changes and metastases in axillary lymph nodes

A variety of pathological changes with clinical and prognostic significance is described in axillary lymph nodes removed at mastectomy. We studied 572 lymph nodes removed from 43 women and 1 man during a radical or modified radical mastectomy performed for carcinoma of the breast. We found that in about one-third of the specimens some degree of fat infiltration, or changes, was present; metastases were found in either fatty or nonfatty lymph nodes. We conclude that the presence of fat in axillary lymph nodes does not influence implantation of tumor cells from a primary carcinoma of the breast and has to be reported as an anatomic variant.     

Postmastectomy radiotherapy in women with breast cancer metastatic to one to three axillary lymph nodes

The influence of postmastectomy radiotherapy on survival has long been debated. Early randomized trials established a clear role for adjuvant postmastectomy chest wall radiotherapy (PMCWRT) in reducing locoregional recurrence (LRR), and PMCWRT became standard therapy for patients at high risk of LRR: those with T3 or T4 tumors and four or more involved lymph nodes. However, without effective systemic therapy, distant metastases limited any effect of improved local control on overall outcome, and radiotherapy showed no benefit in survival. In fact, early meta-analyses showed a negative impact of radiotherapy on survival. As data and techniques matured, a favorable influence of PMCWRT on breast cancer-specific mortality emerged but was offset by a radiotherapy-related increase in vascular mortality. Improvements in radiotherapy delivery to increase efficacy and reduce toxicity, restriction of PMCWRT to patients at intermediate or high risk of LRR after mastectomy, and improved distant control of disease with systemic therapy are expected to bring the greatest likelihood of a survival advantage from locoregional control. Three randomized trials with sufficient follow-up meet these criteria. All demonstrate significant improvement in overall survival with PMCWRT. However, the trials were not designed to specifically address the benefit of PMCWRT in patients at intermediate risk of LRR (those with T1 or T2 tumors and one to three involved lymph nodes). These findings have been discussed in a host of publications and conferences in light of historical negative results. This review focuses on the recent data on PMCWRT in patients with one to three involved nodes.     

Number of lymph nodes identified at axillary dissection

BACKGROUND:

Several reports have shown a significantly lower number of axillary lymph nodes (AxLNs) found at axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The objective of the current study was to investigate the factors affecting the number of AxLNs identified at ALND.

METHODS:

Medical records of patients seen at the study institution, a tertiary center, from 2004 to 2007 who underwent ALND for breast cancer were reviewed.

RESULTS:

Among the 698 patients who met study criteria, the mean number of AxLNs resected was 20.4. There were 649 (93%) patients with at least 10 AxLNs recovered. Seventy‐one (10%) patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and 627 (90%) underwent surgical resection first. The mean number of AxLNs in the patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 21.9 (range, 4‐56 AxLNs) compared with 20.2 (range, 5‐65 AxLNs) in the group treated with surgical resection first (P = .13). The number of patients with <10 AxLNs found at ALND was 44 of 627 (7.0%) in the surgical resection first group and 5 of 71 (7.0%) in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group (P = 1.0). The mean number of AxLNs was higher in the 599 (86%) ALNDs performed at the study center compared with the 99 cases from outside institutions (21.2 vs 15.2 AxLNs; P <.001). Among the cases performed at the study institution, 367 (61%) were performed by surgeons with oncologic training and 232 (39%) were not. Surgical oncologists recovered an average of 23 AxLNs, which was significantly higher than the 18.4 resected by the remaining surgeons (P <.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

The number of AxLNs recovered at ALND does not appear to be affected by neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Surgeons with oncologic training appear to retrieve more AxLNs. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.     

Estimating the overlap between sentinel lymph nodes and axillary node samples in breast cancer

Management of the axilla in breast cancer patients is a controversial issue. Axillary sampling and sentinel lymphadenectomy are both conservative surgical approaches which aim to stage the disease. These procedures target selective treatment of node-positive patients and seem to allow the omission of axillary clearance in node-negative ones. In this way, they reduce the rate of complications in an otherwise overtreated subset of patients. Forty consecutive patients with palpable T1 and T2 breast carcinoma underwent sentinel lymphadenectomy following mapping with Patent blue dye, with subsequent axillary clearance and excision of the tumor or mastectomy. Then the largest/firmest 3,4,5 and 6 nodes were selected from all the lymph nodes in order to model an axillary sample. It was suggested that these are the nodes that are the most likely to be included in the specimen during sampling, because of their size and consistency. The probability of the sentinel lymph nodes falling into the sample of the 3-6 largest/firmest nodes was calculated. The sentinel nodes predicted the axillary nodal status in 95%, while the samples of the largest 3, 4, 5 and 6 nodes were predictive in 95, 96, 98 and 98%, respectively. The two methods of evaluation displayed a considerable overlap, as the sentinel node would have been included in the 3 6 largest/firmest nodes in 79 92% of the cases, depending on the number of largest nodes evaluated. The overlap was greater after fine needle aspiration of the primary tumor. Although the two alternative staging procedures of 3, 4, 5 or 6 node sampling and sentinel lymphadenectomy with the vital blue dye technique cannot be simultaneously done without one influencing the other, and the first method was only modeled, the results suggest that there is a considerable overlap between the two; axillary sampling may often remove the sentinel lymph nodes.     

Locoregional failure of postmastectomy patients with 1-3 positive axillary lymph nodes without adjuvant radiotherapy

PURPOSE: To analyze the incidence and risk factors for locoregional recurrence (LRR) in patients with breast cancer who had T1 or T2 primary tumor and 1-3 histologically involved axillary lymph nodes treated with modified radical mastectomy without adjuvant radiotherapy (RT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between April 1991 and December 1998, 125 patients with invasive breast cancer were treated with modified radical mastectomy and were found to have 1-3 positive axillary nodes. The median number of nodes examined was 17 (range 7-33). Of the 125 patients, 110, who had no adjuvant RT and had a minimum follow-up of 25 months, were included in this study. Sixty-nine patients received adjuvant chemotherapy and 84 received adjuvant hormonal therapy with tamoxifen. Patient-related characteristics (age, menopausal status, medial/lateral quadrant of tumor location, T stage, tumor size, estrogen/progesterone receptor protein status, nuclear grade, extracapsular extension, lymphovascular invasion, and number of involved axillary nodes) and treatment-related factors (chemotherapy and hormonal therapy) were analyzed for their impact on LRR. The median follow-up was 54 months. RESULTS: Of 110 patients without RT, 17 had LRR during follow-up. The 4-year LRR rate was 16.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.1-23.1%). All but one LRR were isolated LRR without preceding or simultaneous distant metastasis. According to univariate analysis, age <40 years (p = 0.006), T2 classification (p = 0.04), tumor size >==3 cm (p = 0.002), negative estrogen receptor protein status (p = 0.02), presence of lymphovascular invasion (p = 0.02), and no tamoxifen therapy (p = 0.0006) were associated with a significantly higher rate of LRR. Tumor size (p = 0.006) was the only risk factor for LRR with statistical significance in the multivariate analysis. On the basis of the 4 patient-related factors (age <40 years, tumor >==3 cm, negative estrogen receptor protein, and lymphovascular invasion), the high-risk group (with 3 or 4 factors) had a 4-year LRR rate of 66.7% (95% CI 42.8-90.5%) compared with 7.8% (95% CI 2.2-13.3%) for the low-risk group (with 0-2 factors; p = 0.0001). For the 110 patients who received no adjuvant RT, LRR was associated with a 4-year distant metastasis rate of 49.0% (9 of 17, 95% CI 24.6-73.4%). For patients without LRR, it was 13.3% (15 of 93, 95% CI 6.3-20.3%; p = 0.0001). The 4-year survival rate for patients with and without LRR was 75.1% (95% CI 53.8-96.4%) and 88.7% (95% CI 82.1-95.4%; p = 0.049), respectively. LRR was independently associated with a higher risk of distant metastasis and worse survival in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: LRR after mastectomy is not only a substantial clinical problem, but has a significant impact on the outcome of patients with T1 or T2 primary tumor and 1-3 positive axillary nodes. Patients with risk factors for LRR may need adjuvant RT. Randomized trials are warranted to determine the potential benefit of postmastectomy RT on the survival of patients with a T1 or T2 primary tumor and 1-3 positive nodes.     

Quantitative and functional study of breast cancer axillary lymph nodes and those draining other human malignant tumors

Lymphocyte functional activity from lymph nodes draining human malignancies reflects the host immune response against tumour. Breast cancer is the neoplasia with the greatest amount of identified antigens but a weak inducer of a host efficient immune response. In our study we compared the mitogen stimulated-proliferative response of cells isolated from metastases-free lymph nodes draining breast cancer (Group 1), other malignant tumours (Group 2), and those obtained from patients without malignancies (Control group). A significant decrease of the proliferative response in cells isolated from lymph nodes draining breast cancer was observed comparing it to the other groups. Quantitative analysis of B and T cells showed a higher number of B cells than T cells in Groups 1 and 2. Moreover, Group 1 presented a two fold increase of T cells compared with Group 2. Our results suggest that the immunosuppression observed in lymph nodes draining breast cancer is higher than the inmunosuppression presented in other malignant tumours and that impaired function is not correlated with the increased number of T cells.     

乳腺癌组织HER-2表达与患者年龄及腋淋巴结转移相关性的研究

目的：探讨乳腺癌HER-2表达与患者年龄和腋淋巴结情况的关系。方法：采用免疫组化SP法对3994例乳腺癌患者进行ER、PR、HER-2、p53和PCNA检测。中位随访时间42个月。结果：HER-2过表达阴性（-）2930例（73．4％）,阳性1064例（26．6％）,其中弱阳性（＋＋）621例（15．5％）,强阳性（＋＋＋）443例（11．1％）。HER-2过表达在腋淋巴结阴性者中占24．3％,在腋淋巴结阳性者中占29．6％,其中1～3个淋巴结阳性者中占27．3％,4～9个淋巴结阳性者中占32．9％,〉10个淋巴结阳性者中占33．7％。HER-2表达与年龄呈负相关,P=0．035;与腋淋巴结转移数目呈正相关,P=0．001。HER-2表达与局部复发和区域转移无关,与远处转移呈正相关,P=0．006;腋淋巴结状况与复发转移呈正相关,P=0．001;年龄与复发转移无关。结论：年龄和腋淋巴结转移情况是HER-2表达的独立影响因素,HER-2过表达患者发生远处转移的危险性相对增高。     

放化疗治疗左锁骨上淋巴结转移瘤的疗效

目的:观察放化疗治疗左锁骨上淋巴结转移瘤的疗效。方法:收集64例经病理组织学或细胞学确诊的左锁骨上淋巴结转移患者,接受放射治疗DT 50-76Gy及化疗,化疗每3周为1个周期。观察疗效和毒副反应。结果:全组左锁骨上淋巴结转移瘤患者CR 33例,PR 25例,SD 3例,PD 3例,总有效率(CR+PR)为90.6％(58/64)。中位生存时间11.5个月（95%CI=8.61-14.39个月）。亚组分析显示,原发肿瘤控制、未控制者中位生存期分别为13.03、9.23个月（P=0.006）。淋巴结≤3cm、>3cm者中位生存期分别为12.40、8.77个月（P=0.018）。伴其他远处转移者、无其他转移者中位生存期分别为9.23、14.57个月（P=0.001）。全组毒副反应较轻,主要为骨髓抑制及放射性皮肤反应。结论:放化疗综合治疗左锁骨上淋巴结转移瘤疗效确切,毒副反应发生率低,耐受性好。