title: Sentinel node biopsy in breast cancer: early results in 953 patients with negative sentinel node biopsy and no axillary dissection.
abstract: Sentinel node biopsy in patients with breast carcinoma accurately predicts the axillary nodal status. However, in some 6% of patients with negative sentinel nodes the remaining axillary nodes harbour metastases. Our purpose was to observe a large number of patients who did not undergo an axillary dissection after a negative sentinel node biopsy for the appearance of overt axillary metastases. 953 patients treated from 1996 to 2000, with negative sentinel nodes not submitted to axillary dissection, were followed-up to 7 years, with a median follow-up of 38 months. Fifty-five unfavourable events occurred among the 953 patients, 37 (4%) related to the primary breast carcinoma. Three cases of overt axillary metastases were found: they received total axillary dissection and are presently alive and well. The 5 year overall survival rate of the whole series was 98%. Patients with negative sentinel node biopsies not submitted to axillary dissection show during follow-up a rate of overt axillary metastases that is lower than that expected.
authors.affiliation: European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy. umberto.veronesi@ieo.it
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Veronesi
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Galimberti
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mariani
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gatti
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paganelli
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Viale
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zurrida
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Veronesi
authors.forename: Mattia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Intra
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gennari
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rita Vento
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luini
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tullii
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bassani
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rotmensz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000209:etiology; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods