title: Sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer--experience with the combined use of dye and radioactive tracer at Aarhus University Hospital.
abstract: One hundred and twenty-four patients with palpable tumours underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and subsequent axillary lymph node dissection. Ultrasound of the axilla was used as part of the diagnostic work-up on all patients and those with lymph node metastasis verified by fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) were not included. For identifying the SLNs, a combination of Tc-99m-labelled human albumin (Solco-ALBU-RES) and blue dye (Patent Blue V) was used. No lymphoscintigraphy was performed. The SLN was successfully identified in 122 out of 124 (98%) patients and 66 (54%) patients were found to have metastatic involvement of the axillary lymph nodes. In 52 (79%) of these patients, the SLNs were the only nodes involved, 28 (54%) had micrometastasis only. The false-negative rate was 1.5%. This method has proven valid in the staging of the axilla in patients with breast cancer. The advanced techniques of serial sectioning and immunohistochemical staining further improve the diagnostic advantage offered by the SLNB, as it increases the possibility of diagnosing micrometastatic deposits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Amtssygehuset, Aarhus, Denmark. bnorgaard@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Mette Cathrine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lauridsen
authors.forename: Jens Peter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Garne
authors.forename: Flemming Brandt
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.forename: Flemming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Melsen
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lernevall
authors.forename: Peer
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Christiansen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005260:Female; D005629:Frozen Sections; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D011868:Radioisotopes; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D011868:Radioisotopes