Sentinel lymph node biopsy experience in Taranaki: a prospective audit in a provincial New Zealand hospital.
OBJECTIVE
Sentinel lymph node biopsy has been rapidly incorporated into the management of early stage invasive breast cancer. The aim of this study was to review the adoption of sentinel lymph node biopsy at a provincial centre in New Zealand and compare markers of performance against established standards.


METHODS
The Taranaki Breast Database was created in 2002 and prospectively records data from all breast cancer patients in the Taranaki area. Data on all patients undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy were retrieved and the results reviewed.


RESULTS
Between October 2002 and August 2007, 152 sentinel lymph node biopsies were undertaken in 151 patients. The initial 49 patients (training set) also underwent routine axillary clearance as part of an initial audit on the accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy. A sentinel node was identified in 97% of patients (93% including the training set) and a mean of two nodes per biopsy were removed. Metastatic nodal disease was identified in 40 of 152 (26%) of biopsies of which nine were micrometastases. In the training set there was a false negative rate for nodal spread of 5% (two of 40) and a 92% negative predictive value.


CONCLUSIONS
The performance of sentinel lymph node biopsy in Taranaki is comparable to international centres. Adoption of this technique as routine may spare many Taranaki women the morbidity of axillary clearance, without jeopardising safety.
Davenport
Emily
E
Department of Surgery, Dunedin Hospital, New Zealand. emily@med.co.nz
Fancourt
Michael W
MW
Gilkison
William T C
WT
Kyle
Steven M
SM
Mosquera
Damien A
DA
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008485:Medical Audit; D009520:New Zealand; D011446:Prospective Studies; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*