Combination of frozen section and touch imprint cytology for the intraoperative diagnosis of sentinel lymph node in breast cancer

Abstract

Objective Frozen section(FS)and touch imprint cytology(TIC)were common methods for intraoperative evaluation of sentinel lymph node(SLN)biopsy in breast cancer,with low sensitivity when used separately.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of combination of these two techniques.Methotis This study included 400 sentinel nodes from 150 patients with breast cancer.352 sentinel nodes were bisected along the long axis.Each sectioned surface of SLN was imprinted onto the surface of a slide and was analyzed by cytologist;meanwhile SLN were analyzed with intraoperative FS.The other 48 SLN were only analyzed with intraoperative PS due to their small size.Results of intraoperative P3 and TIC were compared with final pathology.Results Eighty-nine positive SLN from 55 patients were identified by final pathology.The specificity of FS and TIC were both 100%.According to the number of SLN.the sensitivity of TIC and FS was 71.9%(64/89)and 83.1%(74/89),respectively(P＞0.05).The sensitivity of TIC compared with FS was 96.6%(86/89),significantly higher than that of TIC and FS separately(both P＜0.001).According to the number of patients,the sensitivities of TIC and FS were 80.0%(44/55)and 81.8%(45/55),respectively(P＞0.05).The sensitivity of TIC compared with FS was 94.5%(52/55).significantly higher than that of TIC and FS separately (both P＜0.001).Conclusion Combination of FS and TIC for the intraoperative diagnosis of SLN biopsy in breast cancer was reliable,with hish sensitivity and specificity,and could avoid the second axillary operation efficiently. Key words: Breast neoplasms; Sentinel lymph node biopsy; Histocytological preparation techniques; Frozen sections