Mapping of the functional anatomy of lymphatic drainage to the axilla in early breast cancer: A cohort study of 933 cases

IntroductionThe aims of this study were to investigate the correlation between lymphatic drainage and the sentinel lymph node (SLN) status of the subregions in the context of the clinic-pathological parameters of the tumour and the coverage of the axillary volumes by standard and high tangential fields (STgF and HTgF) for whole breast radiotherapy and axillary reverse mapping (ARM).Patients and methods933 women with early breast cancer and clinically negative axillary status underwent breast surgery and SLN biopsy followed by axillary lymph node dissection in SLN-positive cases. The subregional localisation of the SLN(s) was registered and statistically analysed with the clinic-pathological characteristics of the breast tumour. In node-positive patients treated with breast-conserving therapy in whom the SLNs were found in the anterior or posterior axillary subregions, the axillary volumes were contoured using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group contouring atlas (n = 61).ResultsIn 91.1% (n = 797) of the cases, the SLN appeared in the anterior, posterior or central subregions.Using HTgF, Level I or II were completely covered in 65.6% (40/61) and 6.6% (4/61) of the cases, respectively. With STgF, the complete coverage was 0% for both levels.6.8% (n = 63) of all cases had one positive lymph node in the expected ARM lymph node regions.DiscussionA SLN is more than likely to be present in the anterior, posterior and central axillary subregions. Tangential fields allow only limited coverage of the axillary volumes. Preserving the lateral subregion during ARM may increase the possibility of understaging.     

早期乳腺癌腋窝亚LevelⅡ淋巴结清扫的初步研究

目的：探索基层医院早期乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结外科处理的适宜方法。方法：对9例符合研究条件的病例先美兰染色（meythylene blue staining）实施前哨淋巴结活检（sentinel lymph node biopsy,SLNB）,再补充实施腋窝淋巴结清扫术（axillary lymph node dissection,ALND）;ALND术中显露腋静脉,以腋静脉下2cm为界缝线标记,术后将标本从缝线处分离,对淋巴结进行分组取材,将前哨淋巴结、腋静脉下2cm内淋巴结（亚levelⅡ淋巴结）、腋窝其余淋巴结（其余淋巴结）分组送病理检查,观察各组淋巴结数量及肿瘤细胞腋淋巴结转移规律。结果：找到前哨淋巴结6例;5例前哨淋巴结、亚levelⅡ淋巴结、其余淋巴结均为阴性;1例前哨淋巴结、亚levelⅡ淋巴结、其余淋巴结均为阳性;另有1例患者前哨淋巴结未找到,而亚levelⅡ淋巴结检出阳性。结论：基层医院对于早期乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结清扫,可以用美兰染色行前哨淋巴结活检,若前哨淋巴结阳性或未找到前哨淋巴结,行ALND;若前哨淋巴结阴性,行亚levelⅡ淋巴结清扫。     

Quality of Life After Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy or Axillary Lymph Node Dissection in Stage I/II Breast Cancer Patients: A Prospective Longitudinal Study

Background  Breast cancer patients’ quality of life (QoL) after surgery has been reported to improve significantly over time. Little is known about QoL recovery after sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in comparison to axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Methods  175 of 195 stage I/II breast cancer patients completed the EORTC QLQ-C30: one day before surgery (T0) and after 6 (T1), 26 (T2), 52 (T3) and 104 (T4) weeks. Of these, 54 patients underwent SLNB, 56 SLNB+ALND and 65 ALND. General linear models and paired T-tests between T0–T4 and T1–T4 were computed. Complications, radiotherapy and systemic therapy were added to the model. Results  Significant time effects were found on physical, role and emotional functioning. Physical and role functioning decreased between T0 and T1. At T4, SLNB patients’ functioning had increased to their T0 level; ALND (+/– SLNB) patients’ functioning had increased, but had not improved to T0 level. Emotional functioning increased linearly between T0 and T4. At T4, emotional functioning was significantly higher in all groups as compared with T0. No significant group or interaction (time × group) effects were found. Complications and chemotherapy had a significant negative effect on role, emotional and cognitive functioning. Complications had a significant effect on social functioning also. Effect sizes varied between 0.00 and 0.06. Conclusion  Two years post surgery, breast cancer patients’ QoL is comparable to that shortly before surgery. Women rated their emotional functioning as even better. SLNB is not associated with a better QoL than ALND. However, undergoing systemic therapy and/or experiencing complications affects QoL negatively.     

前哨淋巴结活检术在结直肠癌中的应用研究(英文)

Objective:The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of sentinel lymph node biopsy(SLNB) in colorectal cancer.Methods:Twenty patients of colorectal cancer were enrolled in this study.Endoscopic injection submucosally of 99mTc-DX was performed around the primary tumor 3 h before operation.Immediately after laparotomy, methylene blue was injected into subserosal layer adjacent to the tumor.Sentinel lymph nodes(SLNs) were defined as blue stained nodes or(and) those containing 10 times more radioa...