title: Sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer using blue dye with or without isotope localization.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy using blue dye with or without isotope localization to predict the presence of axillary and internal mammary lymph node (IMN) metastases in patients with breast cancer. We also investigated whether multiple sectioning of the SLN could improve the accuracy of frozen section examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred twenty-six patients underwent dye-guided or dye- and gamma probe-guided SLN biopsy followed by complete axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). No ALND was performed in the 14 patients with small tumors and a negative SLN. In addition, 69 patients underwent IMN biopsy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The axillary SLN was identified in 123 of 140 (88%) patients. An accuracy rate of 90% was obtained by frozen section examination of the SLN, which increased to 100% in patients examined with a greater number of sections. Lymphatic flow to the IMN and/or a radioactive hot spot in the IMN was found in 9 of 102 (9%) patients, while a hot node was detected using a gamma probe in only 2 of these patients. No involvement of the IMNs was found histologically in these 9 patients. IMN involvement was found in 7 of 61 (11%) patients without lymphatic flow to the IMNs or a hot spot by lymphoscintigraphy or who did not undergo lymphoscintigraphy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ALND can be avoided in patients with small breast cancers and a negative SLN. SLN biopsy guided by lymphatic mapping is unreliable for identifying metastases to IMNs.
authors: Operation Center, Kanazawa University Hospital, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8641, Japan.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Noguchi
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Tsugawa
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Miwa
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Yokoyama
authors: K I
authors: KI
authors: Nakajima
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Michigishi
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Minato
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Nonomura
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Taniya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy