Reoperative sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with locally recurrent breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is considered a standard of care in the staging of breast cancer. The objective was to examine our experience with reoperative SLNB.


METHODS
We identified 19 patients in our breast cancer database who had a SLNB in the reoperative setting. All 19 patients had undergone previous breast-conserving surgery with either an axillary lymph node dissection or an SLNB. The reoperative sentinel lymph node (SLN) was identified using blue dye, radioisotope, or both.


RESULTS
The SLN was identified in 84% of the reoperative cases. Of these successful cases, both blue dye and radioisotope were used in five cases, and radioisotope alone was used in 11 cases. Radioisotope identified the SLN in the 100% of successful SLNB cases (P = .0003). There were 3 unsuccessful cases in which blue dye and radioisotope failed to identify the sentinel node.


CONCLUSIONS
Reoperative SLNB after previous axillary surgery is technically feasible.
Barone
Julie L
JL
Continuum Cancer Centers of New York, Appel-Venet Comprehensive Breast Service, Phillips Ambulatory Care Center, Beth Israel Medical Center, 10 Union Square E., Ste 4E, New York, NY 10003, USA.
Feldman
Sheldon M
SM
Estabrook
Alison
A
Tartter
Paul I
PI
Rosenbaum Smith
Sharon M
SM
Boolbol
Susan K
SK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology*; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy