title: [Sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer: the Lausanne experience].
abstract: A total of 40 patients (mean age 51 yrs; 36-89 yrs) with clinically T1-T2(< 3 cm)N0M0 breast cancer underwent sentinel node (SN) mapping with radioactive tracer (99mTc) injection only in 21 patients, with Patent blue V in 1 patient, or with both techniques in 19 patients. The preoperative injection of 99mTc (20-40 MBq) was followed by lymphoscintigraphy. A handheld gamma probe was used to detect the SN in the operative room. A lumpectomy and an axillary dissection were performed in all the patients. SNs could be identified in 39/40 patients, resulting in a sensitivity of 98%. Successful localization of the SNs was accomplished by isotope only in 19/20 patients, by blue dye only in 1/1 patient, and by both methods in 19/19 patients; in 2 of these 19 patients, SNs were identified by blue dye only. Axillary metastases were found in 12/40 patients (30%), the SN being the only nodal metastasis in 8/12 patients (75%). Six of these 12 patients (50%) had only evidence of micrometastasis. Negative SNs on serial sections stained with hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) were evaluated with cytokeratin immunostain (C11). In all cases of negative SNs the remaining axillary nodes were also free of tumor, resulting in a negative predictive value of 100%. We conclude that SN mapping is a highly accurate method for staging the axillary node status in breast cancer patients. Optimal localization is achieved by the combination of injection of 99mTc-colloid and blue dye as evidence by the cases of positive SN identified by only one of both methods.
authors.affiliation: Département de gynécologie et d'obstétrique, CHUV, Lausanne.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Delaloye
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Antonescu
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Besseghir
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Genton
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bischof-Delaloye
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Grandi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001365:Axilla; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013557:Switzerland; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin; C083602:technetium Tc 99m nanocolloid