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Axillary lymph node dissection for T1a breast carcinoma. Is it indicated?
M J Silverstein1, E D Gierson, J R Waisman
1Breast Center, Van Nuys, California 91405.
Cancer
|February 1, 1994
Summary
Routine axillary node dissection may be unnecessary for early breast cancer (T1a). Axillary node positivity increases with tumor size, impacting survival, thus dissection is crucial for larger tumors (T1b+).
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Surgical Oncology
- Breast Cancer Research
Background:
- Axillary dissection is a long-standing breast cancer treatment.
- Axillary node status is a critical prognostic factor.
- Routine dissection is being re-evaluated for early-stage disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess axillary node positivity rates across different breast cancer T categories.
- To correlate nodal status with disease-free and breast cancer-specific survival.
- To inform decisions regarding the necessity of axillary node dissection.
Main Methods:
- Categorized breast cancer patients into T stages (Tis to T3).
- Determined axillary node positivity for each subgroup.
- Analyzed disease-free survival (DSF) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS).
Main Results:
- Nodal positivity was 0% for DCIS and 3% for T1a lesions.
- A significant increase in nodal positivity occurred for lesions >5mm (T1b: 17% to T3: 60%).
- DSF and BCSS declined with increasing T category.
Conclusions:
- Axillary node positivity correlates with tumor size and predicts survival outcomes.
- Eliminating axillary node dissection for T1a lesions warrants consideration due to low positivity rates.
- Routine axillary node dissection remains indicated for T1b lesions and larger.