title: Sentinel node biopsy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has become a safe and accurate alternative to axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in the surgical management of early breast cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the false negative rate of SLNB in patients with advanced breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight patients with 49 advanced breast cancers (one patient had bilateral disease) underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. All of them had SLNB, followed by standard level I/II ALND. SLNs were identified in 47 out of 49 tumors (detection rate 95.9%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Axillary nodal metastases were detected in 28 patients; SLNs were positive only in 14 patients. Four sentinel internal mammary nodes were removed in 4 patients, while one of them was positive with micrometastasis but axillary nodes were negative. False-negative results occurred in 2 (7.14%) patients. The results of our study confirm that SLNB in patients with advanced breast cancer is not significantly altered by the preoperative chemotherapy. Biopsy results were very similar to those without any neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ALND, known for its serious complications, can be replaced in some cases by SLNB.
authors: Department of Surgery, Tomas Bata University Zlin, Zlin, Czech Republic.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Gatek
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Vrana
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Hnatek
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Bakala
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Dudesek
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Duben
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Musil
mesh_terms: D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D061206:Neoplasm Micrometastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy