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Sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer using blue dye with or without isotope localization

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Abstract

Background

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy using blue dye with or without isotope localization to predict the presence of axillary and internal mammary lymph node (IMN) metastases in patients with breast cancer. We also investigated whether multiple sectioning of the SLN could improve the accuracy of frozen section examination.

Method

One-hundred twenty-six patients underwent dye-guided or dye- and gamma probe-guided SLN biopsy followed by complete axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). No ALND was performed in the 14 patients with small tumors and a negative SLN. In addition, 69 patients underwent IMN biopsy.

Results

The axillary SLN was identified in 123 of 140 (88%) patients. An accuracy rate of 90% was obtained by frozen section examination of the SLN, which increased to 100% in patients examined with a greater number of sections. Lymphatic flow to the IMN and/or a radioactive hot spot in the IMN was found in 9 of 102 (9%) patients, while a hot node was detected using a gamma probe in only 2 of these patients. No involvement of the IMNs was found histologically in these 9 patients. IMN involvement was found in 7 of 61 (11%) patients without lymphatic flow to the IMNs or a hot spot by lymphoscintigraphy or who did not undergo lymphoscintigraphy.

Conclusion

ALND can be avoided in patients with small breast cancers and a negative SLN. SLN biopsy guided by lymphatic mapping is unreliable for identifying metastases to IMNs.

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Abbreviations

ALND:

Axillary lymph node dissection

H&E:

Hematoxylin and eosin

HSA:

Human serum albumin

IHC:

Immunohistochemistry

IMN:

Internal mammary lymph node

SLN:

Sentinel lymph node

TIS:

Tumorin situ

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Operation Center, Kanazawa University Hospital, Japan

    Masakuni Noguchi

  2. Department of Surgery (II), Kanazawa University Hospital, Japan

    Masakuni Noguchi, Koichiro Tsugawa & Koichi Miwa

  3. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Kanazawa University Hospital, Japan

    Kunihiko Yokoyama, Ken-ichi Nakajima & Takatoshi Michigishi

  4. Division of Pathology, Kanazawa University Hospital, Japan

    Hiroshi Minato & Akitaka Nonomura

  5. Futaba Breast Clinic, Japan

    Takao Taniya

Authors
  1. Masakuni Noguchi
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  2. Koichiro Tsugawa
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  3. Koichi Miwa
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  4. Kunihiko Yokoyama
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  5. Ken-ichi Nakajima
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  6. Takatoshi Michigishi
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  7. Hiroshi Minato
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  8. Akitaka Nonomura
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  9. Takao Taniya
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Noguchi, M., Tsugawa, K., Miwa, K. et al. Sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer using blue dye with or without isotope localization. Breast Cancer 7, 287–296 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02966392

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