Sentinel nodes outside level I-II of the axilla and staging in breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of sentinel nodes and sentinel node metastases outside levels I-II of the axilla in breast cancer.


METHODS
Altogether 170 breast cancer patients with 172 clinically node-negative T1-T2 tumours underwent lymphoscintigraphy and were included in a prospective study.


RESULTS
The lymphoscintigraphy showed sentinel node(s) in the axilla in 150 (87%) breast cancer cases. Thirty (17%) patients had sentinel nodes outside the axilla. Lymphatic drainage solely outside the axilla was encountered in two patients. Lymph node metastases were found in the axilla in 40% and outside the axilla in 17% of the 30 patients with extra-axillary sentinel nodes. Two patients with sentinel node metastases outside the axilla had no axillary metastases.


CONCLUSIONS
The biopsy of sentinel nodes outside the axilla is a potential tool for more accurate staging in breast cancer, since it provides additional information as compared to axillary staging alone.
Rönka
R
R
Breast Surgery Unit, Maria Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, Lapinlahdenkatu 16, 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland. riitta.ronka@hus.fi
Krogerus
L
L
Leppänen
E
E
Smitten
K V
KV
Leidenius
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin