Lymph Node Ratio May Be Supplementary to TNM Nodal Classification in Node-positive Breast Carcinoma Based on the Results of 2,151 Patients

Background

The aim of the present study was to determine how lymph node ratio (LNR; the ratio of the number of metastatic lymph nodes to the number of removed lymph nodes) can supplement the TNM nodal classification in breast carcinoma.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the file records of 2,151 patients.

Results

Lymph node ratio-based low- (LNR ≤ 0.20), intermediate- (LNR 0.21–0.65), and high-risk (LNR > 0.65) patient groups had significantly different disease-free survival (DFS) (P < 0.001). The DFS of patients with N1, N2, and N3 disease was significantly different (P < 0.001). When LNR and TNM nodal groupings were included together in the Cox analysis, both groupings had independent prognostic significance (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). The most significant LNR threshold value separating patients in low-risk and high-risk groups in terms of disease recurrence was 0.20 for N1 disease (P < 0.001), 0.35 for N2 disease (P < 0.001), and 0.90 for N3 disease (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Lymph node ratio and TNM nodal groupings show no superiority over each other in categorizing patients with node-positive breast carcinoma into prognostic groups of low-, intermediate-, and high-risk. However, LNR grouping may supplement TNM nodal classification by categorizing patients within each TNM nodal group into low-risk and high-risk groups with significantly different survival.