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The Application of 1% Methylene Blue Dye As a Single Technique in Breast Cancer Sentinel Node Biopsy
Published on: June 1, 2019
Is sentinel node biopsy reliable in large breast tumors?
D Koukouras1, C Spyropoulos, N Siasos
1Department of Surgery, Breast Unit, University Hospital of Patras, Patras, Greece.
European Journal of Gynaecological Oncology
|March 31, 2010
Summary
Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNB) is feasible for larger breast tumors (>3 cm), with a 14.3% false-negative rate. Multifocal tumors increase false-negative rates, suggesting completion axillary clearance may be necessary.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Surgical Oncology
- Breast Cancer Research
Background:
- Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNB) is a standard staging procedure for breast cancer.
- Its utility in patients with larger tumors (>3 cm) is debated due to potentially higher false-negative rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and prognostic reliability of SNB in patients with breast tumors larger than 3 cm.
- To determine the false-negative rate and detection rate of SNB in this patient cohort.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 84 women with breast tumors >3 cm diagnosed between 2001-2007.
- SNB performed using blue dye injection, with sentinel node analysis via frozen section and immunohistochemistry.
- All patients underwent completion axillary clearance regardless of SNB results.
Main Results:
- SNB was feasible in 96.4% of patients; the overall false-negative rate was 14.3%.
- False-negative rates were significantly higher in multifocal tumors (55.5%) compared to unifocal tumors (9.3%).
- Larger tumor size correlated with increased nodal metastases incidence.
Conclusions:
- SNB is a feasible technique for staging larger breast tumors (>3 cm).
- Multifocality is associated with higher false-negative rates, indicating a need for careful consideration of completion axillary clearance.
- SNB provides valuable prognostic information in this patient group.
