Incidence of Positive Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Early Breast Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): Muacevic Alexander, Adler John R, Sandhya Anu, Fahim Muhammad, Kulanathan Aron, Tansie Awa
Primary Institution: Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Trust, Redhill, GBR
Hypothesis
What is the incidence of positive sentinel lymph node biopsy in screen-detected early breast cancer?
Conclusion
Only 8% of patients had positive sentinel lymph node biopsy in screen-detected breast cancer, suggesting that sentinel lymph node biopsy may be omitted in selected low-risk cases.
Supporting Evidence
- 12 out of 149 patients had positive sentinel lymph node biopsy.
- 92.6% of patients underwent breast-conserving surgery.
- 85.2% of patients had unifocal presentations.
- Majority of tumors were ductal carcinoma.
- 8% of patients with screen-detected breast cancer had positive sentinel lymph nodes.
Takeaway
In a study of women with early breast cancer, only a small number had positive lymph nodes, which means some might not need a specific surgery.
Methodology
This retrospective study included women with screen-detected invasive breast cancer and negative axillary ultrasound, who underwent surgical excision and sentinel lymph node biopsy.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the retrospective nature and single-center design.
Limitations
The study was limited by its retrospective design, small sample size, and being conducted at a single center.
Participant Demographics
All participants were female, with a mean age of 61.9 years, primarily in their 60s.
Statistical Information
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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