Predictive nomogram using multimodal ultrasonographic features for axillary lymph node metastasis in early‑stage...

Axillary lymph node (ALN) status is a key prognostic factor in patients with early-stage invasive breast cancer (IBC). The present study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram based on multimodal ultrasonographic (MMUS) features for early prediction of axillary lymph node metastasis (ALNM). A total of 342 patients with early-stage IBC (240 in the training cohort and 102 in the validation cohort) who underwent preoperative conventional ultrasound (US), strain elastography, shear wave elastography and contrast-enhanced US examination were included between August 2021 and March 2022. Pathological ALN status was used as the reference standard. The clinicopathological factors and MMUS features were analyzed with uni- and multivariate logistic regression to construct a clinicopathological and conventional US model and a MMUS-based nomogram. The MMUS nomogram was validated with respect to discrimination, calibration, reclassification and clinical usefulness. US features of tumor size, echogenicity, stiff rim sign, perfusion defect, radial vessel and US Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System category 5 were independent risk predictors for ALNM. MMUS nomogram based on these factors demonstrated an improved calibration and favorable performance [area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC), 0.927 and 0.922 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively] compared with the clinicopathological model (AUC, 0.681 and 0.670, respectively), US-depicted ALN status (AUC, 0.710 and 0.716, respectively) and the conventional US model (AUC, 0.867 and 0.894, respectively). MMUS nomogram improved the reclassification ability of the conventional US model for ALNM prediction (net reclassification improvement, 0.296 and 0.288 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively; both P<0.001). Taken together, the findings of the present study suggested that the MMUS nomogram may be a promising, non-invasive and reliable approach for predicting ALNM.