title: Pathological work-up of sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer. Review of current data to be considered for the formulation of guidelines.
abstract: Controversies and inconsistencies regarding the pathological work-up of sentinel lymph nodes (SNs) led the European Working Group for Breast Screening Pathology (EWGBSP) to review published data and current evidence that can promote the formulation of European guidelines for the pathological work-up of SNs. After an evaluation of the accuracy of SN biopsy as a staging procedure, the yields of different sectioning methods and the immunohistochemical detection of metastatic cells are reviewed. Currently published data do not allow the significance of micrometastases or isolated tumour cells to be established, but it is suggested that approximately 18% of the cases may be associated with further nodal (non-SN) metastases, i.e. approximately 2% of all patients initially staged by SN biopsy. The methods for the intraoperative and molecular assessment of SNs are also surveyed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Bács-Kiskun County Teaching Hospital, Kecskemét, Hungary.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cserni
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Amendoeira
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Apostolikas
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bellocq
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bussolati
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Boecker
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Borisch
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Connolly
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Decker
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dervan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drijkoningen
authors.forename: I O
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Elston
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Eusebi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Faverly
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heikkila
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kerner
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kulka
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jacquemier
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lacerda
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martinez-Penuela
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Miguel
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Peterse
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rank
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Regitnig
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reiner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sapino
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sigal-Zafrani
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Tanous
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thorstenson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zozaya
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Wells
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D015588:Observer Variation; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards