Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026
Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping and Biopsy for Endometrial Cancer at Early Stage with Laparoscopy
Published on: August 19, 2021
Preoperative selection of symptomatic breast cancer patients appropriate for lymphatic mapping and sentinel node
M Barry1, R A Cahill, G Roche-Nagle
1Department of Surgery, Waterford Regional Hospital and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Waterford, Ireland. mitchelbarry@hotmail.com
Background:
This study examines whether preoperative ultrasound-assessed tumour diameter and diagnostic core biopsy-determined grade can be used to select those most likely to benefit from SLNB (i.e. those that are "node negative") before their definitive operation.
Methods:
Breast ultrasound (US) and a simultaneous core biopsy was performed in all patients at their initial presentation, and their estimates of tumor size and grade compared with the final pathological specimen (FPS).
Results:
Of the T1 group 47% had lymphatic metastases as did 49% of those with grade I or II cancers. By combining these measures, however, subgroups of patients with lower rates of nodal metastases were identified (32% of patients with T1, non-grade III disease had lymphatic disease while only 15% of those with T < 1.5 cm, non-grade III cancers had such metastases).
Conclusion:
Combination of the US and ultrasound guided core biopsy (UGCB) may however identify subgroups unlikely to have axillary disease that are therefore suitable for SLNB.
