Sentinel Lymph Node Assessment in Breast Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): Patricia Tai, Joseph Kurian, Edward Yu
Primary Institution: Allan Blair Cancer Center
Hypothesis
Is axillary dissection always necessary when the sentinel node is positive?
Conclusion
Patients with micrometastases or isolated tumor cells benefit from adjuvant systemic treatment.
Supporting Evidence
- Many women previously classified as node-negative are now reclassified as having micrometastatic nodal involvement.
- Patients with micrometastases or ITC benefit from adjuvant systemic treatment.
- Completion ALND is not necessary when the estimated risk of non-sentinel node involvement is low.
Takeaway
Doctors are trying to figure out if they need to do more surgery when they find tiny bits of cancer in the first lymph node they check.
Methodology
A search of PubMed and relevant articles from ASTRO and ASCO was performed.
Potential Biases
Heterogeneity in the approach to sentinel node evaluation exists.
Limitations
Some studies had small sample sizes and short follow-up periods.
Participant Demographics
Mean age was 57.6 years; mean tumor size was 1.85 cm.
Statistical Information
P-Value
P < .0001
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 1.01 to 2.47
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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