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Percutaneous Sentinel Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer: Results of a Phase 1 Study

  • Breast Oncology
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

While sentinel lymph node dissection (SLND) provides axillary staging, recent trials question the necessity of removing positive nonsentinel axillary lymph nodes (LN) in breast cancer. We sought to determine the technical feasibility of percutaneous core needle biopsy (PNB) of axillary sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs).

Methods

After dual tracer injection, 25 patients underwent intraoperative axillary ultrasound and ultrasound guided per PNB of the axillary LN at the site of radiotracer uptake, followed by standard SLND. The primary outcome measure was successful correlation of PNB with SLN, defined as: (1) similar final pathology in core and SLN and (2) presence of blue staining and/or radiotracer in the core or gross evidence of PNB at the SLN (e.g., transected SLN).

Results

Preincision axillary ultrasound identified a LN (mean size 1.15 ± 0.67 cm) at the site of radioactive tracer in 92 % (23 of 25) of cases. Gross evidence of PNB at the SLN was found in 76 % (19 of 25) of cases. Blue staining, radioisotope, and pathology matched in core and SLN specimens in 36 % (9 of 25), 64 % (16 of 25), and 72 % (18 of 25) of cases, respectively. Overall, successful correlation of core biopsy with SLN occurred in 72 % (18 of 25) of cases.

Conclusions

Results of this phase I study demonstrate that PNB of the SLN is technically feasible, but further refinement of technique is warranted to improve correlation of core biopsy to SLND.

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Acknowledgment

This study was funded by a grant from Stater Bros. Charities/Inland Women Fighting Cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA

    Seyed Saeed Pairawan MD, Renzo Garberoglio MD, Naveenraj Solomon MD, Maheswari Senthil MD, Carlos Garberoglio MD & Sharon S. Lum MD

  2. Department of Radiology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA

    Cherie Cora MD

  3. St. Joseph Hospital, Orange, CA, USA

    Windy Olaya MD

  4. Department of Pathology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA

    Jeremy Deisch MD

Authors
  1. Seyed Saeed Pairawan MD
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  2. Cherie Cora MD
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  3. Windy Olaya MD
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  4. Jeremy Deisch MD
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  5. Renzo Garberoglio MD
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  6. Naveenraj Solomon MD
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  7. Maheswari Senthil MD
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  8. Carlos Garberoglio MD
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  9. Sharon S. Lum MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sharon S. Lum MD.

Additional information

This study was approved by the Loma Linda University Institutional Review Board and listed at https://ClinicalTrials.gov/ NCT02046057.

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Pairawan, S.S., Cora, C., Olaya, W. et al. Percutaneous Sentinel Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer: Results of a Phase 1 Study. Ann Surg Oncol 23, 3330–3336 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-016-5320-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-016-5320-2

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