P128: Does axillary ultrasound predict the burden of metastatic axillary lymph node involvement in breast cancer?

Abstract

Introduction: Axillary ultrasound and biopsy of suspicious nodes is used to identify nodal metastasis preoperatively in patients with invasive breast cancer. Patients with preoperatively diagnosed axillary node metastases are advised to undergo axillary node clearance (ANC). Patients with 4 or more positive nodes are offered adjuvant radiotherapy, which may alter patients' primary breast surgery, particularly if considering reconstruction. This study assessed whether axillary ultrasound can predict the number of metastatic axillary nodes.