Sentinel node biopsy in breast cancer: early results in 953 patients with negative sentinel node biopsy and no axillary dissection.
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.
Veronesi
Umberto
U
European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy. umberto.veronesi@ieo.it
Galimberti
Viviana
V
Mariani
Luigi
L
Gatti
Giovanna
G
Paganelli
Giovanni
G
Viale
Giuseppe
G
Zurrida
Stefano
S
Veronesi
Paolo
P
Intra
Mattia
M
Gennari
Roberto
R
Rita Vento
Anna
A
Luini
Alberto
A
Tullii
Marco
M
Bassani
Guillermo
G
Rotmensz
Nicole
N
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