Comparison of a 1-day and a 2-day protocol for lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with nonpalpable breast cancer

Purpose  To compare the identification rate of the sentinel node in a 1-day protocol versus a 2-day protocol in patients with a nonpalpable breast carcinoma. Methods  In the 1-day protocol an average dose of 120 MBq ^99mTc-nanocolloid was injected intratumorally on the day of surgery, and in the 2-day protocol an average dose of 370 MBq ^99mTc-nanocolloid was injected intratumorally the day before surgery. Both a gamma ray detection probe and patent blue were used to locate the sentinel node. Results  In 57 of 67 patients (85%) treated in the 1-day protocol and in 51 of 56 patients (91%) treated in the 2-day protocol the sentinel node was detected (p=0.311). Of the patients in the 1-day protocol and the 2-day protocol, respectively, 18 (27%) and 13 (23%) showed metastasis (p=0.975) Conclusion  There was no significant difference in the identification rate of the sentinel node between the 1-day protocol and the 2-day protocol in patients diagnosed with a nonpalpable breast carcinoma.