Clinical and pathological factors predicting axillary nodal metastasis in breast cancer patients of central Sudan: A single institution experience

Abstract

Background: Data on factors predicting axillary lymph node (ALN) metastasis among Sudanese patients with breast cancer are rare. Aim: The aim of this study is to provide baseline information of the clinical and pathological factors predicting ALN metastasis in patients who underwent modified radical mastectomy or breast conserving surgery at Wad-Madani Teaching Hospital, Sudan. Materials and Methods: We performed a prospective study to examine the correlation between ALN status and clinicopathological characteristics of 81 patients with breast cancer. Results: The median age at diagnosis was 47 years (range, 25–85 years). The median number of lymph nodes (LNs) retrieved was 14 (range 2–31). ALNs containing metastases were found in 52 patients (64.2%); more than half of them (n = 30) had three or more positive LNs. Factors associated with lower chance of developing LN metastasis were age more than 60 years, postmenopausal status, smaller tumor size, and tumor that were positive for estrogen receptor and/or progesterone receptor. The number of ALNs retrieved was the only factor which showed statistically significant association with ALNs metastases. Conclusions: Our finding reveals a high incidence of ALN metastasis among patients with breast cancer in Sudan, which is likely due to various factors such as young age at diagnosis and large tumor size as a result of late diagnosis.