title: A pilot study to examine the experiences and attitudes of women with breast cancer towards one versus two-step axillary surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To elicit the views, experiences and preferences of women with clinically node negative breast cancer towards intra-operative sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focus groups with 14 women with breast cancer from two UK centres; one group had undergone the standard practice of waiting two weeks for results of their axillary surgery, the other had experienced the intra-operative SLNB analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women generally were unaware about their lymph nodes, what their function is and how they are removed. Preference was indicated for intra-operative sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) analysis provided clear descriptions were given about the risk of experiencing false negative and false positive results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adopting an intra-operative analysis technique of axillary nodes was viewed as an excellent option by women from both centres. The immediacy of knowing the results was seen as a great advantage for their physical and psychological well being and more cost effective.
authors.affiliation: Sussex Health Outcomes Research & Education, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom. val@sussex.ac.uk
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Harder
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Babar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Merry
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Newbury
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kissin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zammit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000523:psychology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010865:Pilot Projects; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000523:psychology*