title: Variation in axillary node dissection influences the degree of nodal involvement in breast cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The number of positive axillary lymph nodes predicts prognosis and is often important in determining adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. This study was undertaken to determine if differences in the extent of axillary node dissection would alter the number of reported positive nodes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of 302 patients with invasive breast cancer who underwent complete (level I/II/III) axillary lymph node dissection. Assuming that all patients had undergone a level I/II dissection, it was determined how frequently a patient's nodal category (0, 1-3, 4-9, >10 positive nodes) would have been altered if a level I or level I/II/III dissection were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Assuming that all 302 patients had undergone a level I/II dissection, performing only level I dissection would have resulted in a change in nodal category in 15.9% of all patients and 36.1% of patients with positive nodes. The corresponding changes for a level I/II/III dissection would have been 4.3% and 9.5%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Variations in the level of axillary node dissection for breast cancer can result in significant changes in the number of positive axillary nodes. This can potentially bias adjuvant chemotherapy recommendations if treatment decisions are based on this prognostic factor.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Farrar
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Burak
mesh_terms: D001365:Axilla; D015982:Bias; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis