title: Prediction of axillary lymph node metastases in a screened breast cancer population. South-East Sweden Breast Cancer Group.
abstract: To define a subgroup of patients, in whom axillary dissection could be omitted, we analysed the frequency of pathologically confirmed lymph node metastases depending on tumour size, hormonal receptors, DNA ploidy, S-phase fraction (SPF), and clinical nodal status among 1,145 patients with stage I-II breast cancer from an area with ongoing screening. Clinical nodal status and tumour size were strongly correlated to pathological nodal status. Also SPF > 10% was strongly correlated to node positivity in univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis there was still a significant correlation among cases with tumour size < or = 20 mm. In conclusion, patients with clinically negative nodal status, and tumour size < or = 20 mm and < or = 10 mm had pathologically positive nodes in 25% and 15% of cases respectively. The addition of SPF did not lower these figures significantly since small tumours with high SPF are few.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Oncology, Medical Centre Hospital, Orebro, Sweden.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ahlgren
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Stål
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Westman
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Arnesson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011003:Ploidies; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016196:S Phase
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone