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Axillary sentinel lymph node biopsy after mastectomy: a case report.
Diego A Vicente1, Leonard R Henry, George Hahm
1Department of Surgery, National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA. diegoavicente@gmail.com
World Journal of Surgical Oncology
|July 13, 2010
Summary
Sentinel lymph node biopsy is a standard for early breast cancer staging. However, a history of mastectomy may not always contraindicate this procedure, as shown in a recent case study.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Surgical Oncology
- Breast Cancer Management
Background:
- Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is the gold standard for staging early-stage breast cancer.
- Historically, a prior mastectomy has been considered a contraindication for SLNB due to concerns about altered lymphatic drainage.
Observation:
- This report details a case of recurrent breast cancer in a skin flap five years post-mastectomy.
- Sentinel lymph nodes were successfully identified and biopsied in the axilla of this patient.
Findings:
- The sentinel lymph node biopsy identified positive axillary nodes, confirming metastatic spread.
- This case challenges the absolute contraindication of prior mastectomy for SLNB.
Implications:
- Prior mastectomy may not be an absolute contraindication for sentinel lymph node biopsy in select breast cancer patients.
- This finding could expand the utility of SLNB for accurate staging in patients with a history of breast cancer surgery.
