title: Sentinel lymph node biopsy in multiple breast cancer using subareolar injection of the tracer.
abstract: We performed subdermal injection of (99m)Tc-labelled albumin combined with subareolar (SA) injection of blue dye to axillary lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in patients with multifocal and multicentric breast cancer to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of this technique. A retrospective analysis of our experience on 235 SLNB showed that 30(12.7%) had multiple cancer (MC) on final pathologic examination and was considered in relation to the aim of the study. Mean age was 57.19 years (range 24-90). Mean number of SLNs identified was 1.93 (range 1-5). Mean number of axillary LNs examined was 18.10 (range 12-27). Overall successful identification was 100% with a false negative (FN) rate of 6.25%. Overall accuracy of lymphatic mapping and sensitivity was 96.6% and 93.7%, respectively. SLNB using the SA injection technique may be an alternative to complete axillary dissection in patients with multiple breast cancers and a clinically negative axilla.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Special Surgery, University of Bari, Italy. gderedita@chirges.uniba.it <gderedita@chirges.uniba.it>
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Eredita'
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giardina
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ingravallo
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rubini
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lattanzio
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Berardi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000473:pathology*; D009558:Nipples; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin; D008751:Methylene Blue