[Incidence of axillary recurrence after a negative sentinel lymph node result in early stages of breast cancer: a 5-year follow-up].
The sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is currently the procedure of choice for axillary node staging in initial stages of breast cancer. The purpose of this study is to establish our false negative rate within a 5-year follow-up period in 258 patients with breast cancer staged with this procedure.


METHODS
A retrospective study on 258 consecutive T1-T2<3 cm pN0 staged breast carcinomas treated from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2005 was performed. The combined technique of isotope plus blue dye was used for detection. The subjects underwent a minimum follow-up of 5 years, mean 81 months, with an end of follow-up at December 31, 2010. Evidence of axillary recurrence, tumor recurrence in the breast and signs of disease progression or death were the events collected and analyzed.


RESULTS
Of the 258 patients, 3 false negatives (1.1%) with axillary recurrence were detected at 10, 11 and 29 months of the surgery. This did not have a significant repercussion in the survival analysis on the contrary to the existence of breast recurrence or the appearance of distant metastasis in 4.7% and 6.2% patients, respectively. Global survival related with the cancer was 93.0 (240/258) and disease free survival was 89.1% (230/258).


CONCLUSIONS
The risk of developing axillary recurrence after a negative SLN without axillary node dissection is low enough to consider the SLN procedure to be the best approach for axilla staging in early breast cancer. This staging technique also makes it possible to achieve local disease control without diminishing the survival of the patients.
Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, España. richardrua@hotmail.com
R
R
Ruano Pérez
M
M
Ramos Boyero
J R
JR
García-Talavera Fernández
T
T
Ramos Grande
J M
JM
González-Orús
F
F
Gómez-Caminero López
M C
MC
García Macias
A
A
Martín de Arriba
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004967:Estrogens; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D011374:Progesterone; D011379:Prognosis; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013671:Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid
D004967:Estrogens; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; C512413:nanocis; C025484:iso-sulfan blue; D011374:Progesterone; D013671:Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid