Axillary lymph node metastases in patients with a final diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ.
BACKGROUND
Recent studies report the incidence of axillary metastases in patients with ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS) approaches 13%. The purpose of this study was to define the incidence of axillary micrometastases in patients with pure DCIS before and after the introduction of sentinel lymph node biopsy.


METHODS
Patients with a final diagnosis of DCIS form the basis of this study. Data were entered prospectively into an Institutional Review Board approved Oracle database from January 1997 through July 2002.


RESULTS
One hundred and thirty-four patients had lymph nodes evaluated. Ninety-eight percent of patients had no evidence of metastatic disease and 2% were found to have micrometastases. This was consistent in those who had level I or II lymph node sampling or both and those who had lymphatic mapping and a sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
These data do not support axillary lymph node removal of any type in patients with pure DCIS.
Kelly
Tricia A
TA
Cleveland Clinic Breast Center, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Department of General Surgery, A-80, 9500 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.
Kim
Julian A
JA
Patrick
Rebecca
R
Grundfest
Sharon
S
Crowe
Joseph P
JP
D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged