[Axillary lymph node and bone marrow micrometastases of breast cancer].
Micrometastatic disease from breast cancer is a major concern both for clinicians and pathologists. Histologically, they can be defined as potentially invasive microfoci of tumoral cancer cells located in the vicinity of blood vessels and are a distinct entity from residual disease. They are mainly looked for in bone marrow and lymph nodes specimens and their diagnosis is currently easier thanks to immunohistochemistry. Provided a standard definition of micrometastatic disease and standard screening procedures can be met, the presence of micrometastases at the time of diagnosis could represent a major parameter in therapeutic decision-making. Although controversial, the presence of medullary and axillary lymph node micrometastases appears to be a major prognostic factor in terms of survival. Recognition of this entity could help in better defining the high-risk subset of patients who would potentially benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy.
Nahon
S
S
Institut Sainte-Catherine, chemin du Lavarin, 84000 Avignon. sophienahon@magic.fr
Brewer
Y
Y
Kirscher
S
S
Chauvet
B
B
Berger
C
C
Serin
D
D
D001365:Axilla; D019046:Bone Marrow Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy