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Published on: June 1, 2019
Sentinel lymph node biopsy in operations for recurrent breast cancer
1Department of Breast Surgery, Herlev University Hospital, DK-2730 Herlev, Copenhagen, Denmark. c.axelsson@dadlnet.dk
Summary
Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) effectively identifies sentinel nodes in recurrent breast cancer patients, influencing treatment plans. This procedure shows promise as a standard for recurrent breast cancer care.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Surgical Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Pilot study on 50 patients with recurrent breast cancer.
- Recurrence interval averaged 8 years (range 1-18 years).
- Most patients (47/50) had prior axillary lymph node dissection (ALND).
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and impact of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in patients with recurrent breast cancer.
- To determine the rate of sentinel node (SN) identification and metastasis detection.
- To assess if SLNB findings influence subsequent treatment planning.
Main Methods:
- Prospective consecutive series of 50 patients.
- Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) procedure.
- Scintigraphy used for pre-operative SN visualization.
- Intraoperative identification and examination of SNs.
Main Results:
- Scintigraphy identified sentinel nodes (SN) in 51% of patients.
- Intraoperative SN identification occurred in 45% of patients (83% of visualized SNs).
- Metastases were found in SNs of 7 patients (16%), altering treatment plans.
Conclusions:
- SLNB is a viable procedure for identifying sentinel nodes in recurrent breast cancer.
- SLNB findings significantly impact treatment decisions.
- SLNB should be considered a standard procedure for recurrent breast cancer, warranting further randomized trials.
