title: The Role of Selective Lymphadenectomy in Breast Cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND: Axillary node dissection is considered a standard staging procedure in patients with breast cancer. The procedure is associated with significant morbidity and provides pathologists with many lymph nodes to evaluate. METHODS: A total of 174 women participated in a trial that included preoperative lymphoscintigraphy and intraoperative lymphatic mapping using a combination of a vital blue dye and radiocolloid mapping. RESULTS: The intraoperative lymphatic mapping correctly identified a sentinel lymph node (SLN) in 160 (92%) of 174 patients. One skip metastasis (0.7%) occurred in 136 women who had a subsequent complete node dissection. CONCLUSIONS: Lymphatic mapping and SLN biopsy using a combination of mapping techniques provide accurate nodal staging for women with breast cancer. With this technique, approximately 70% to 80% of women with no axillary metastases could be spared the morbidity of a complete node dissection.
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Breast Cancer Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA.
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reintgen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Lyman
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yeatman
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Balducci
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shons
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Horton
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nicosia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shivers
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cantor
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cox