Sentinel lymph node biopsy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer: results of Ganglion Sentinelle et Chimiotherapie Neoadjuvante, a French prospective multicentric study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the detection rate, the false-negative rate, and the accuracy of sentinel lymph node (SLN) detection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for advanced breast cancer.


METHODS
A prospective multicentric study was initiated to evaluate the results of SLN biopsy with the combined method after NAC for advanced large operable breast cancer.


RESULTS
From September 2003 to March 2007, 195 patients enrolled from 12 institutions were found suitable for evaluation. The detection rate was 90% (176 of 195 patients), and the false-negative rate was 11.5% (six of 52 patients). Patients without axillary palpable nodes (N0) before NAC had a better detection rate compared with patients with axillary suspicious nodes (N1, 94.6% v 81.5%; P = .008). The false-negative rate was not correlated with clinical nodal status before NAC (9.4% v 15%; P = .66).


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirms the feasibility of SLN biopsy after NAC in the case of large operable breast cancer. The detection rate, false-negative rate, and accuracy do not differ from those obtained in the case of early breast cancer without NAC, thus demonstrating the feasibility of SLN biopsy after NAC.
Classe
Jean-Marc
JM
Departments of Surgery and Statistics, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Centre René Gauducheau, Nantes, Saint Herblain, France. jm-classe@nantes.fnclcc.fr
Bordes
Virginie
V
Campion
Loic
L
Mignotte
Herve
H
Dravet
François
F
Leveque
Jean
J
Sagan
Christine
C
Dupre
Pierre François
PF
Body
Gilles
G
Giard
Sylvia
S
D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods