And/or Axillary Lymph Node Dissection Research Articles

Abstract PO3-12-07: Utility of Volumetric Measurement for Clinical Diagnosis of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema

Abstract Background: Early detection of Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is crucial since it can significantly reduce the negative impact on a patient’s quality of life after breast cancer treatment. Several objective screening methods have been used in prior studies but have not proven accurate due to a lack of standardization. Bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS), which assesses tissue resistance to an electric current and converts it into a score to measure interstitial fluid content, has proven to be an accurate tool in diagnosing lymphedema. SOZO® is a BIS device that generates quantitative results in real time and provides a Lymphedema Index (L-Dex) score by measuring the patient's extracellular fluid volume. However, there is a paucity of literature highlighting its clinical applicability. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of SOZO® in diagnosing BCRL in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery. Materials & Methods: A retrospective chart review was carried out of patients who underwent axillary surgery from January 2019 to December 2022. Demographic information such as age, body mass index (BMI), gender, ethnicity, disease pathology, cancer stage, type of axillary surgery, neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment received was recorded. Patients undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and/or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) were assessed for their preoperative L-Dex score, and they were followed up postoperatively with repeated measurements of their L-Dex score to diagnose lymphedema for a year at 3 months intervals. Clinical lymphedema was defined as those having an absolute L-Dex score of more than +10 and an increase in L-Dex score by 6.5 from the baseline. SOZO® scores measured at each follow-up were compared to their preoperative baseline scores. Results: A total of 200 patients’ data was evaluated whose mean age and BMI were 57.5+10.9 years and 29.6+5.6 kg/m2, respectively. Eighty-five percent of the patients belonged to ethnic minority groups. Furthermore, 84.5% (n=169) of the patients had SLNB, and 15.5% (n=31) had ALND. All the patients included in the study had their preoperative and postoperative quarterly L-Dex scores recorded. Pre- and post-operative L-Dex scores had a mean of -0.20+6.6 and 0.61+6.8, respectively. A total of 20 (10%) patients developed lymphedema without symptoms detected by SOZO®, with 19 (9.5%) resolving at their respective 3-month follow-up and 1 (0.5%) patient with persistent lymphedema at the end of the 24-month follow-up. All 20 patients were treated with a compression sleeve. Of the 20 patients with lymphedema, 4 patients underwent ALND, whereas 16 patients had SLNB. When compared to their preoperative baseline scores, all patients' SOZO® measurements had an absolute score of more than 10 and an increase of 6.5 from their baseline score. Additionally, 21 other patients had an increase in score of 6.5 from their baseline measurements but did not meet the cut-off range of an absolute score of +10. Therefore, we excluded them from the diagnosis of BCRL, and none of these patients later developed any signs of BCRL, such as swelling, pain, or discomfort. Conclusion: SOZO® procedure can accurately detect BCRL. In our study, 1 patient developed clinical lymphedema after undergoing SLNB and was diagnosed using SOZO®. Additionally, 19 patients who were initially diagnosed with lymphedema were later categorized as transient due to the resolution of lymphedema on follow-up. Early identification of transient lymphedema using SOZO® resulted in the prevention of a potentially life-long debilitation in our patients. Moreover, our findings underscore that an increase in SOZO® score from the baseline by > 6.5 with an absolute score of more than +10 should be the threshold to clinically diagnose lymphedema. Future studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up duration are necessary to understand better the utility of SOZO® in diagnosing BCRL. Table 1: Baseline characteristics and follow-up data of the patients included in the study. Citation Format: Fardeen Bhimani, Sheldon Feldman, Yu Chen, Anjuli Gupta, Jessica Pastoriza, Areej Shihabi, Maureen McEvoy. Utility of Volumetric Measurement for Clinical Diagnosis of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO3-12-07.

The QUILT study: quilting sutures in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery: a stepped wedge cluster randomized trial study

BackgroundSeroma is the most common complication following breast cancer surgery, with reported incidence up to 90%. Seroma causes patient discomfort, is associated with surgical site infections (SSI), often requires treatment and increases healthcare consumption. The quilting suture technique, in which the skin flaps are sutured to the pectoralis muscle, leads to a significant reduction of seroma with a decrease in the number of aspirations and surgical site infections. However, implementation is lagging due to unknown side effects, increase in operation time and cost effectiveness. Main objective of this study is to assess the impact of large scale implementation of the quilting suture technique in patients undergoing mastectomy and/or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND).MethodsThe QUILT study is a stepped wedge design study performed among nine teaching hospitals in the Netherlands. The study consists of nine steps, with each step one hospital will implement the quilting suture technique. Allocation of the order of implementation will be randomization-based. Primary outcome is ‘textbook outcome’, i.e.no wound complications, no re-admission, re-operation or unscheduled visit to the outpatient clinic and no increased use of postoperative analgesics. A total of 113 patients is required based on a sample size calculation. Secondary outcomes are shoulder function, cosmetic outcome, satisfaction with thoracic wall and health care consumption. Follow-up lasts for 6 months.DiscussionThis will be one of the first multicentre prospective studies in which quilting without postoperative wound drain is compared with conventional wound closure. We hypothesize that quilting is a simple technique to increase textbook outcome, enhance patient comfort and reduce health care consumption.

Impact of Quilting Sutures on Surgical Outcomes After Mastectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Seroma after mastectomy and/or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) is among the most common issue surgeons have to face in the early postoperative management of breast cancer. Using quilting sutures (QS) to aid in tissue approximation and decrease dead space is proposed as a simple technique to reduce seroma rate. We aimed to perform a systematic review, and analyse, in a meta-analytical model, the role of QS in improving wound outcomes and decrease volume, duration of drainage, and length of stay in hospital. The study was registered with PROSPERO. A systematic search of the PubMed, EMBASE, and SCOPUS databases was performed for all comparative studies examining surgical outcomes in patients who underwent QS versus conventional closure (CC) after mastectomy ± ALND. Twenty-one studies with a total of 3473 patients (1736 in the study group and 1737 in the control group) were included based on the selection criteria. The study group showed significantly lower rates of seroma (p<0.00001), total volume of drainage (p<0.0001), days to drain removal (p<0.00001), and length of stay (p<0.00001) compared with the control group, while wound complication rates (surgical site infection, flap necrosis, hematoma, skin dimpling) were comparable between the two groups. QS are a reliable intraoperative technique that decrease seroma formation, volume of postoperative drainage, duration of drainage and length of hospital stay, and should be considered in mastectomies with or without ALND.

Same-day mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection is safe for most patients with breast cancer.

Background and ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of same‐day mastectomy, with or without a sentinel node biopsy (SNB) and/or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND).MethodsIn this retrospective study, we reviewed 913 consecutive women who underwent a simple mastectomy for breast cancer between the years 2014 and 2019 and were treated either with same‐day surgery (SDS) or an overnight stay (OS) regime. We reviewed all surgical complications, any unplanned return to care (RTC) and the rehospitalization rate for 30 postoperative days.ResultsA total of 259 patients (28%) were treated with SDS and 654 patients (72%) with an OS regime. There was no difference in RTC (odds ratio: 0.79 [95% confidence interval: 0.53–1.18], p = 0.26) or any major complications between the groups. None of the investigated subgroups, such as patients with previous neoadjuvant therapy, diabetes, obesity (up to a body mass index of 40 kg/m2), the American Society of Anaesthesiologist Class of 3, or elderly patients aged 75–84 years, showed an increased complication rate when treated with the SDS regime.ConclusionA same‐day simple mastectomy is safe with SNB and/or ALND. It can be performed safely for most patients with stable co‐morbidities.

The validity and clinical utility of axillary ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy in detection of nodal metastasis in early-stage breast cancer patients: a retrospective single-center experience.

Assessing the validity and clinical utility of axillary ultrasonography (AUS)-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in detection of nodal metastasis during preoperative axillary investigation in comparison to the histopathologic diagnosis in early-stage breast cancer. A total of 279 operated primary breast cancer patients (age: 55.3 ± 12.8, ranged 17-90 years) were included. Data on AUS findings at the time of initial diagnosis (first look AUS), second-look AUS findings performed by the breast radiologist during breast biopsy procedure and the AUS-guided FNAB findings were evaluated with respect to the final histopathology report obtained through axillary surgery via sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and/or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). The diagnostic performance of each method in detecting metastatic ALNs were compared in terms of sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the first look AUS in detecting nodal metastasis were 64.56%, 86.78%, and 74.19% while the PPV and NPV were 86.44% and 65.22%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the second-look AUS were 70.25%, 87.60%, and 77.78%, while PPV and NPV were 88.10% and 69.28%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the second-look AUS guided FNAB were 89.19%, 73.33%, and 87.30%, while the PPV and NPV were 96.12% and 47.83%, respectively. The consideration of second-look AUS and finding of nodal metastasis in FNAB was associated with significantly higher likelihood of ALND (55.4% vs. 44.6%, p < 0.001) and lower likelihood of SLNB (34.7% vs. 65.3%, p < 0.001) compared to consideration of nonmetastatic ALN status. In 23 (22.3%) patients with positive findings on AUS-guided FNAB, SLNB was applied; 21 had positive results after surgical dissection, indicating that nearly 20% of patients had unnecessary SLNB. US-guided FNAB of suspicious ALNs is a simple, minimally invasive, and highly effective method for preoperative axillary staging in patients with invasive breast cancer avoiding the more invasive method SLNB and it enables the surgeon to proceed directly to ALND in positive cases.

Quilting following mastectomy reduces seroma, associated complications and health care consumption without impairing patient comfort.

BackgroundAn important complication following mastectomy is seroma formation. Quilting, in which skin flaps are sutured to the underlying muscle, is reported to reduce seroma incidence, but might induce pain and impair shoulder function. Main objective is to compare quilting with conventional wound closure, regarding seroma incidence, health care consumption, and patient discomfort.MethodsIn a combined prospective and retrospective study, 254 patients undergoing mastectomy and/or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) were included. Patients received quilting sutures or conventional closure. Primary outcome was clinical significant seroma (CSS). In prospectively included patients shoulder function and analgesic use was observed.ResultsCSS incidence was 12.9% in the quilted versus 62.3% in the nonquilted cohort (p < 0.001). Surgical site infections were reported significantly less in the quilted cohort. Duration of hospital stay was shorter and outpatient clinic visits were less in the quilted cohort. Surgical procedure required 10 additional minutes for quilting. No significant differences were observed in postoperative shoulder function and analgesic use.ConclusionQuilting following mastectomy reduces CSS incidence. Quilting requires 10 additional minutes during surgery. It facilitates day treatment and results in less additional outpatient clinic visits culminating in reduced health care consumption. Shoulder function and pain are not affected by quilting.

A Prospective, Multicenter Registry Study to Evaluate the Clinical Feasibility of Targeted Axillary Dissection (TAD) in Node-positive Breast Cancer Patients.

This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and accuracy of non-radioactive TLN biopsy and TAD in routine clinical practice. TAD involves TLN biopsy (TLNB) and sentinel lymph node biopsy and was recently introduced as a new standard for less invasive axillary staging in BC patients undergoing neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST); however, clinical evidence is limited. The SenTa study is a prospective registry study conducted at 50 centers. Patients with invasive BC who nderwent clip insertion into the most suspicious axillary lymph node were eligible. Axillary surgery was performed with or without sentinel lymph node biopsy, TLNB, and/or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Main endpoints were the detection rate and FNR of TLNB and TAD after NST. Between 2017 and 2018, 548 consecutive BC patients underwent clip placement into biopsy-confirmed positive lymph nodes. After NST (n = 473), the clipped TLN was intraoperatively resected in 329 of 423 patients [77.8%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 74.0-82.0]. TAD was successful in 199 of 229 patients (detection rate: 86.9%, 95% CI: 81.8-91.0), the SLN and TLN were identical in 129 patient (64.8%). FNRs were 7.2% (8 of 111, 95% CI: 3.1-13.6) for TLNB followed by ALND (n = 203) and 4.3% (2 of 46, 95% CI: 0.5-14.8) for TAD followed by ALND (n = 77). The SenTa study demonstrates the feasibility of TAD in a real-world cohort of BC patients. Our findings are of great importance for de-escalation of surgical strategies.

170 Poster - Predictors of seroma formation after breast cancer surgery

Background: Seroma formation after breast cancer surgery is a common problem. At het University Hospitals Leuven, a suction drain is placed after mastectomy and/or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). The drain is removed at discharge, usually three to five days after surgery and weekly wound care consultations for seroma aspiration are planned. The aim of this study was to define predictors of prolonged seroma formation after breast cancer surgery.

Pre-operative axillary ultrasound with fine-needle aspiration cytology performance and predictive factors of false negatives in axillary lymph node involvement in early breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among females worldwide. Axillary lymph node involvement is an important prognostic factor in pre-operative evaluation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity and accuracy of AUS during the initial breast cancer diagnosis and the contribution of ultrasound with guided FNAC (AUS + FNAC) in cases of suspicious node. A retrospective study was conducted at the Lorraine Cancer Institute between 1 January and 31 December 2015. It included patients with early breast cancer, all of whom received AUS. If axillary node involvement was suspected, FNAC was performed. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and/or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) were performed depending on FNAC results. In total, 292 patients were included. 88 patients (30.1%) had a suspicious lymph node on ultrasound and had FNAC, of whom 53 tested positive for axillary node involvement (60.2%). Among the 35 patients who tested negative with FNAC, 15 had axillary metastatic involvement. Performance of AUS + FNAC was better than that of AUS alone, with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive and negative predictive values of approximately 44.5%, 100%, 100% and 72.4%, respectively, and accuracy of approximately 77.4%. Luminal A subgroup, axillary involvement of less than two positive nodes or nodal tumor of less than 7mm are independent factors of false negative rate. AUS performance would seem to be improved by FNAC, with a false negative rate of approximately 26%. It may be possible to reduce the false negative rate of AUS if its contributing factors are taken into consideration, along with the impact of specific echographic signs as revealed by experienced radiologists.

Abstract OT2-01-03: A prospective randomized study comparing surgery using electrosurgical bipolar sealing devices and surgery using conventional electro-cautery

Abstract Background: Seroma and lymphorrhea are the most common complication following mastectomy and/or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). The manifestation of seroma accelerates complications such as post-operative bleeding, wound infection, prolonged recovery period. Sealing blood vessels and lymph drainages adequately during mastectomy and/or ALND may play a main role in reducing complication. Therefore, adequate sealing vessels and lymphatics during the surgery is important to reduce seroma and lymphorrhea related complications in patients with breast cancer. Objective: This study aims to show that electrosurgical bipolar sealing device for mastectomy could provide clinical benefit in reducing seroma formation. Design: ELBCE (ELectrosurgical Bipolar Devices VS Convention Electronicautery, NCT03166384)is a prospective, randomized, two-arm assignment controlled trial of application of electrosurgical bipolar sealing device for mastectomy in patients with breast cancer. Patients is randomized in 1:1 ratio to conventional suture and tie group or electrosurgical bipolar sealing devices group. Randomization is performed using opening sealed envelope before enrollment. The primary end point is to compare the total drainage volume until drain tube removal. The time to drain removal is also measured. The secondary end points is the total amount of aspiration from seroma after drain tube removal, and the frequency of seroma aspiration. Statistical consideration: A sample size 44 subjects per each arm was planned to provide a 90% power to detect a 25% decrease of the total amount of drainage fluid after surgery by using an electrosurgical bipolar sealing device when compared to a conventional suture and tie technique. In our experience, the average total volume of fluid after conventional suture and tie technique is 220 mL, with a standard deviation of 80. Eligibility criteria:Inclusion criteria are patients older than 20 years and those who planned to undergo total mastectomy and/or ALND. Exclusion criteria are bilateral breast cancer patients, male patients, patients who underwent ipsilateral axillar surgery or radiation therapy, recurrent breast cancer patients, patients without drain catheter, and patients with ductal carcinoma in situ who have not undergone ipsilateral sentinel lymph node biopsy or ALND.Present accrual and target accrual:ELSEBA study has an accrual target of 88 patients. To date, 8 patients have been randomized. Contact information:Dr. Hyung Seek Park, E-mail: hyungseokpark.md@gmail.com; imgenius@yuhs.ac, Telephone: +82-2-2228-2100 Citation Format: Yoon KH, Park HS, Kim JH, Kim JY, Lim SM, Kim SI, Cho YU. A prospective randomized study comparing surgery using electrosurgical bipolar sealing devices and surgery using conventional electro-cautery [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr OT2-01-03.

Diagnostic accuracy of 1.5 Tesla breast magnetic resonance imaging in the pre-operative assessment of axillary lymph nodes.

The purpose of this study was to test the accuracy of 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (1.5T MRI) in the preoperative evaluation of axillary lymph nodes in patients with invasive breast cancer. The authors retrospectively analyzed 26 patients with invasive breast cancer who had undergone sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and/or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). All patients had been submitted to preoperative contrast enhanced breast 1.5T MRI. On the basis of lymph nodes morphological and dynamic characteristics, lymph nodes were classified as "negative" (short axis < 5 mm), "borderline" (short axis > 5 mm, absence of a hilum) or "positive" (short axis > 5 mm, absence of a hilum and also other suspicious features). The authors compared 1.5T MRI results with the outcome of histological analysis performed according to the TNM criteria; sensitivity (SE), specificity (SP), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of 1.5T MRI were evaluated. Considering only the lymph nodes "positive", 1.5 T MRI showed: SE 37.8%, SP 99.3%, FP 0.7%, PPV 92.5%, and NPV 88.1%. However, considering also "borderline", 1.5T MRI achieved: SE 75.7%, SP 99.3%, FP 0.7%, PPV 96.1%, and NPV was 95%. Contrast enhanced breast 1.5T MRI is not yet a valid alternative to histological analysis but it is a valid tool for a preoperative study of the topography of axillary lymph nodes and has the potential to become a routine method for evaluating the metastatic lymph nodes before submission to ALND.

Triple-negative breast cancer is not associated with increased likelihood of nodal metastases.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive subtype of breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to determine if patients with TNBC have a higher risk of lymph node (LN) metastases. A prospective database review identified 3,289 patients treated with a mastectomy or with breast-conserving surgery between January 2000 and May 2012. The final analysis included those patients who underwent sentinel node biopsy (SNB) and/or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), and the following information: age at diagnosis, tumor size, grade, stage, histologic subtype, presence of lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and the status of estrogen, progesterone, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). A total of 2,967 patients met the inclusion criteria. SNB was performed in 1,094 patients, ALND in 756, and both SNB and ALND in 1,117 patients. LN metastases were detected in 1,050 (35 %) patients. On univariate analysis, the LN positivity varied across subtypes with 33 % in luminal A, 42 % in luminal B, 39 % in TNBC, and 45 % in HER-2 (p = 0.0007). However, on multivariable analysis, there was no difference in LN positivity among subtypes. Age <50, grade 2 or 3 tumors, size ≥2 cm, and presence of LVI were significant predictors of LN positivity. Four or more involved nodes were observed most commonly in the HER2 (19.4 %) and luminal B (13.7 %) subtypes, but only 9.4 % in TNBC (p < 0.0001). Predictors of LN metastases include younger age, higher grade, larger tumor size, and presence of LVI. Patients with TNBC are not more likely to have involved nodes than those with non-TNBC.

Histolopathologic approach to direct the management of the axilla in early breast cancer patients

Screening mammography improved early detection of breast cancer and since then, the percentage of patients with node involvement is declining. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), although helpful in the diagnostic armamentarium of these patients, has consequential limitations. In these patients, moreover, lymphatic invasion (LI) is of utmost importance to determine the risk of local recurrence. To find an adjuvant histologic approach to assist in pre-operative analysis of the patient's risk for having LI and thus sentinel ± non-sentinel axillary lymph node metastasis, one hundred and twenty patients with early invasive duct carcinoma without axillary lymph node metastasis were evaluated. Logistic regression predictive models were built from 80 patients and validated in the remaining 40 patients. The final stepwise multi-regression analysis identified four sensitive models. In the validation group, model 1 [applicable to tumors grade 3 having micropapillary differentiation (MPD)] correctly identified 92.31% of patients with LI and confirmed LI [positive predictive value (PPV)=83%], but with moderate sensitivity. Model 2 [applicable to tumors without MPD], model 3 [applicable to tumors grade 1/2], and model 4 [applicable to tumors grade 1/2 having no MPD] all had moderate PPV and a high negative predictive value (NPV) rendering these models reliable negative tests. However, as they had high sensitivity, positive results confirm the presence of LI. Patient with tumors grade 3 and MPD might need SLNB and/or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Patients having tumors grade 1/2, size <2cm, and no MPD nor extensive retraction artifact, SLNB and/or ALND could be omitted. In tumors grade 1/2 (model 2) and those without MPD (model 3), the proposed models are reliable negative tests rather than a definitive positive one.

Triple-negative breast cancer and likelihood of nodal metastates.

50 Background: Axillary lymph node metastases are a prognostic indicator for breast cancer. Studies suggest that breast cancer subtypes are associated with the presence of lymph node (LN) metastases. The purpose of this study was to determine if patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) have a higher risk of LN metastases than those with non-TNBC. Methods: Prospective database review identified 2,967 female patients with invasive breast cancer treated with mastectomy or breast conserving surgery (BCS) between January 2000 and May 2012. Only patients who underwent sentinel node biopsy (SNB) and/or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) were included. Those receiving neoadjuvant therapy were excluded. Patient and tumor characteristics evaluated included age, race, tumor size, grade, stage, histologic subtype, presence of lymphovascular invasion (LVI), estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status. Results: BCS was performed in 1,889 and mastectomy in 1,078 patients. Breakdown by subtype included 2,201 (74%) patients with Luminal A, 344 (12%) with Luminal B, 144 (5%) with HER2, and 278 (9%) with TNBC. SNB was performed in 1,094 (37%), ALND in 756 (25%), and 1,117 (38%) patients had both. LN metastases were detected in 1050 (35%) patients. The LN positivity rate varied across subtypes with 734/2,201 (33%) in Luminal A, 143/344 (42%) in Luminal B, 108/278 (39%) in TNBC, and 65/144 (45%) in HER-2 (p = 0.0007). However, on multivariable analysis, there was no difference in LN positivity among subtypes (p=0.24). Only age &lt; 50 (HR 1.5, CI 1.3 to 1.8), grade 2 or 3 tumors (HR 1.8, CI 1.4 to 2.5), size greater than 2cm (HR 3.2, CI 2.7 to 3.9), and presence of LVI (HR 3.9, CI 2.4 to 6.3) were significant predictors of LN positivity. Four or more involved nodes were seen most commonly in the HER2 (28/144; 19%) and Luminal B (47/344; 14%) subtypes, but not TNBC (26/278; 9%) or Luminal A (199/2201; 9%) (p &lt; 0.0001). Conclusions: Predictors of LN metastases include younger age, higher grade, larger tumor size, and presence of LVI. Patients with TNBC are not more likely to have involved nodes than those with non-TNBC.

Lymphatic mapping after previous breast surgery

BackgroundTo assess the feasibility of lymphatic mapping and determine the lymphatic drainage pathways in patients previously treated with breast conserving therapy (BCT). MethodsWe included patients without current breast cancer that previously received BCT with sentinel node biopsy (SNB) and/or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for primary breast cancer. The study population consisted of 44 patients and was divided into two groups according to previous surgical treatment of the axilla: 22 patients after previous SNB and 22 patients after previous ALND. Standard lymphatic mapping was performed and the lymphatic drainage pattern was registered. Drainage located outside the ipsilateral axilla was recorded as aberrant. ResultsLymphoscintigraphy revealed a drainage pattern in 17 of 44 patients (39%). The identification rate in the SNB-group was 41% and 36% in the ALND-group (P=0.760). 8 patients (18%) showed aberrant drainage, which tended to be more frequent in the ALND-group than in the SNB-group (27% versus 9%, P=0.122). Lymphatic drainage to the contralateral axilla was observed in 2 patients, both previously treated with ALND. ConclusionsLymphatic mapping seems feasible after previous BCT with axillary treatment, in spite of a relatively low identification rate. Aberrant drainage tends to be more frequent after previous treatment with ALND.

The relationship between morbidity after axillary surgery and long-term quality of life in breast cancer patients: The role of anxiety

Aims Although arm/shoulder morbidity after sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and/or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) has been studied before, information is lacking concerning self-imposed restrictions in activities and long-term consequences of both surgical procedures in relationship to quality of life (QoL) and anxiety. Methods Eighty-nine disease-free breast cancer survivors completed a set of questionnaires assessing arm/shoulder symptoms, limitations in daily life, anxiety and QoL. Also, the ipsi- and contra lateral arm circumference and the range of shoulder motion were measured. Results Fifty-one women had SLNB, 25 had SLNB followed by ALND and 13 had ALND. Although ALND patients experienced more shoulder symptoms, limitations in daily life and imposed more restrictions on themselves than SLNB patients, no significant differences during physical examination were found. A decreased range of motion and a higher score on trait anxiety resulted in a lower QoL. Trait anxiety and perceived limitations in daily life predicted long-term quality of life. Conclusions There is a discrepancy between experienced and measured limitations in range of shoulder motion. Anxiety and self-imposed restrictions play an important role in predicting long-term QoL and should get the necessary attention when addressing shoulder symptoms in breast cancer patients.

Utility of 18F-fluoro-deoxyglucose emission tomography/computed tomography fusion imaging (18F-FDG PET/CT) in combination with ultrasonography for axillary staging in primary breast cancer

BackgroundAccurate evaluation of axillary lymph node (ALN) involvement is mandatory before treatment of primary breast cancer. The aim of this study is to compare preoperative diagnostic accuracy between positron emission tomography/computed tomography with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG PET/CT) and axillary ultrasonography (AUS) for detecting ALN metastasis in patients having operable breast cancer, and to assess the clinical management of axillary 18F-FDG PET/CT for therapeutic indication of sentinel node biopsy (SNB) and preoperative systemic chemotherapy (PSC).MethodsOne hundred eighty-three patients with primary operable breast cancer were recruited. All patients underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT and AUS followed by SNB and/or ALN dissection (ALND). Using 18F-FDG PET/CT, we studied both a visual assessment of 18F-FDG uptake and standardized uptake value (SUV) for axillary staging.ResultsIn a visual assessment of 18F-FDG PET/CT, the diagnostic accuracy of ALN metastasis was 83% with 58% in sensitivity and 95% in specificity, and when cut-off point of SUV was set at 1.8, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 36, 100, and 79%, respectively. On the other hand, the diagnostic accuracy of AUS was 85% with 54% in sensitivity and 99% in specificity. By the combination of 18F-FDG PET/CT and AUS to the axilla, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 64, 94, and 85%, respectively. If either 18F-FDG PET uptake or AUS was positive in allixa, the probability of axillary metastasis was high; 50% (6 of 12) in 18F-FDG PET uptake only, 80% (4 of 5) in AUS positive only, and 100% (28 of 28) in dual positive. By the combination of AUS and 18F-FDG PET/CT, candidates of SNB were more appropriately selected. The axillary 18F-FDG uptake was correlated with the maximum size and nuclear grade of metastatic foci (p = 0.006 and p = 0.03).ConclusionThe diagnostic accuracy of 18F-FDG PET/CT was shown to be nearly equal to ultrasound, and considering their limited sensitivities, the high radiation exposure by 18F-FDG PET/CT and also costs of the examination, it is likely that AUS will be more cost-effective in detecting massive axillary tumor burden. However, when we cannot judge the axillary staging using AUS alone, metabolic approach of 18F-FDG PET/CT for axillary staging would enable us a much more confident diagnosis.

Ductal carcinoma in situ: Value of sentinel lymph node biopsy

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) represents about 20% of newly diagnosed breast carcinomas. Axillary metastasis is often related to undiagnosed DCIS with microinvasion (DCISM). The aim of this study was to confirm the interest of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in extensive DCIS. Patients with a diagnosis of DCIS or DCISM and axillary lymph node evaluation were selected. Surgical treatment included SLN biopsy and/or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Serial sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and with an immunohistochemical (IHC) method. When a micrometastasis was found, the breast specimen was revised searching for occult microinvasion. Hundred and forty patients with initial DCIS were enrolled in the study. Node metastasis was identified in 9 patients (7%) of the 128 patients with DCIS and DCISM. At final histology, 4 (10%) of the 39 patients with pure DCIS and SLN biopsy and 1 (7%) of the 14 patients with DCISM and SLN biopsy had axillary micrometastasis. Four of the 12 patients upstaged to invasive carcinoma had metastatic SLNs. Sentinel lymph node biopsy is valuable in patients with diffuse DCIS or DCISM who are scheduled for mastectomy in order to search for axillary micrometastases and occult breast microinvasion.