Patients with positive axillary nodes undergoing upfront surgery: Can axillary dissection be safely omitted?

To determine the extent of axillary disease in patients with non-palpable but preoperatively biopsy-proven positive nodes, and to identify predictors of extensive lymph node (LN) involvement, defined as ≥3 positive LNs (LN+).

A retrospective cohort study of cT1-3 breast cancer patients diagnosed between 2005 and 2022. All patients had nonpalpable biopsy-proven axillary disease and underwent upfront axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Patients were divided into two groups: 1-2 LN + on ALND versus ≥3 LN+. Clinicopathologic factors were compared between groups. Multivariate regression was used to identify preoperative predictors of extensive (≥3) LN involvement.

Our cohort included 111 patients, with a median age of 63 years (IQR: 52-73 years) and tumour size of 20 mm (IQR: 13-29 mm). Most patients had invasive ductal carcinoma (90 %, n = 100). Most patients were HR+/HER2-disease (86 %, n = 96). Of the entire cohort, 46 % (n = 51) underwent breast-conserving surgery, and 54 %(n = 60) underwent mastectomy. On final pathology, 34 %(n = 38) of patients had 1-2 LN+, and 66 %(n = 73) had ≥3 LN+. Multivariate analysis preoperative predictors of ≥3 LN+: grade 3 disease (OR = 5.43, 95 % CI: 1.19-39.8, p = 0.049), two abnormal lymph nodes on US (OR = 9.11,95 % CI: 2.66-42.7, p = 0.001) and ≥3 abnormal nodes on ultrasound (OR 30.0, 95 % CI: 5.54-561, p = 0.001).

Most women with preoperatively nonpalpable, biopsy-proven axillary metastases had extensive nodal disease, but those with limited nodal positivity on ultrasound could be suitable for a more targeted axillary approach to avoid ALND.