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Association of the Presence of Bone Marrow Micrometastases with the Sentinel Lymph Node Status in 410 Early Stage Breast Cancer Patients: Results of the Swiss Multicenter Study

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Abstract

Background

The sentinel lymph node (SLN) status has proven to accurately reflect the remaining axillary lymph nodes and represents the most important prognostic factor. It is unknown whether an association exists between the SLN status and the presence of bone marrow (BM) micrometastases. The objective of the present investigation was to evaluate whether or not such an association exists.

Methods

In the present investigation 410 patients with early stage breast cancer (pT1 and pT2 ≤3cm, cN0) were prospectively enrolled between 1/2000 and 12/2003. All patients underwent SLN biopsy and bone marrow aspiration. The histological examination of the SLN consisted of step sectioning, H&E, and immunohistochemistry (Lu-5, CK 22) staining. Cancer cells in the BM were stained with monoclonal antibodies A45-B/B3 against cytokeratin and counted by an automated computerized digital microscope.

Results

BM micrometastases were detected in 28.8% (118/410) of all patients. The SLN contained metastases in 32.4% (133/410). Overall 51.2% of the patients (210/410) were SLN negative/BM negative and 12.4% (51/410) SLN positive/BM positive. Of all patients, 16.4% (67/410) were SLN negative/BM positive and 20.0% (82/410) SLN positive/BM negative. There was a statistically significant association between the SLN and BM status, both in unadjusted (Fisher’s exact test: P = .004) and multiple logistic regression analysis (P = .007).

Conclusions

In the present investigation a significant association was found between a positive SLN status and the presence of BM micrometastases. Nonetheless, the percentage of non-concordance (SLN negative/BM positive and SLN positive/BM negative) was considerable. The prognostic impact of BM micrometastases in our patient sample remains to be evaluated.

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Acknowledgments

Funding through SAKK, the Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research, Berne, Switzerland and the Cancer League of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Land, Basel, Switzerland. The authors thank Guido Sauter, MD, pathologist for initiation of the bone marrow protocol and Rosmarie Chaffard, technician at the Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, for her technical assistance with the analysis of the BM aspirates. We also thank Bernadette von Felten, study nurse at the Department of Surgery, University Hospital Basel, for collecting patients’ data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland

    Igor Langer MD, Ulrich Guller MD, MHS & Daniel Oertli MD, FACS

  2. Bethanien Clinic, Zurich, Switzerland

    Ossi R. Koechli MD

  3. Division of Gynecology, University Hospital Berne, Berne, Switzerland

    Gilles Berclaz MD

  4. Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland

    Gad Singer MD

  5. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kantonsspital Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland

    Gabriel Schaer MD

  6. Division of Gynecology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Mathias K. Fehr MD

  7. Division of Gynecology, Kantonsspital Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland

    Thomas Hess MD

  8. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ospedale San Giovanni, Bellinzona, Switzerland

    Lucio Bronz MD

  9. Maternité, Stadtspital Triemli, Zurich, Switzerland

    Beate Schnarwyler MD

  10. Division of Gynecology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland

    Edward Wight MD

  11. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kantonsspital Bruderholz, Binningen, Switzerland

    Urs Uehlinger MD

  12. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kantonales Spital Sursee-Wolhusen, Sursee, Wolhusen, Switzerland

    Eduard Infanger MD & Daniel Burger MD

  13. Department of Surgery, Kantonsspital Olten, Olten, Switzerland

    Markus Zuber MD (for the Swiss Multicenter Sentinel Lymph Node Study Group in Breast Cancer)

Authors
  1. Igor Langer MD
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  2. Ulrich Guller MD, MHS
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  3. Ossi R. Koechli MD
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  4. Gilles Berclaz MD
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  5. Gad Singer MD
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  6. Gabriel Schaer MD
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  7. Mathias K. Fehr MD
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  8. Thomas Hess MD
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  9. Daniel Oertli MD, FACS
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  10. Lucio Bronz MD
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  11. Beate Schnarwyler MD
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  12. Edward Wight MD
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  13. Urs Uehlinger MD
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  14. Eduard Infanger MD
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  15. Daniel Burger MD
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  16. Markus Zuber MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Markus Zuber MD.

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Langer, I., Guller, U., Koechli, O.R. et al. Association of the Presence of Bone Marrow Micrometastases with the Sentinel Lymph Node Status in 410 Early Stage Breast Cancer Patients: Results of the Swiss Multicenter Study. Ann Surg Oncol 14, 1896–1903 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-006-9193-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-006-9193-7

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