title: Assessing the effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on lymphatic pathways to sentinel lymph nodes in cases of breast cancer: Usefulness of the indocyanine green-fluorescence method.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is not clear how lymphatic pathways to the sentinel lymph node (SLN) change during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the indocyanine green (ICG)-fluorescence method, we compared lymphatic pathways to the SLN (sentinel lymphatic pathways) and SLN location before and after NAC in 36 patients (38 breasts).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite that 42.8% of the sentinel lymphatic pathways were changed by NAC, the locations of the SLNs were not affected by NAC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that the true SLN can be detected even after NAC, and that SLNB can be performed after NAC for clinically node-negative patients.
authors: Department of Breast Surgery, Osaka Red Cross Hospital, 5-30 Fudegasaki-cho, Tennoji-ku, Osaka City, Osaka, 543-8555, Japan. Electronic address: tyksgr@osaka-med.jrc.or.jp.
authors: Shigeru
authors: S
authors: Tsuyuki
authors: Department of Breast Surgery, Osaka Red Cross Hospital, 5-30 Fudegasaki-cho, Tennoji-ku, Osaka City, Osaka, 543-8555, Japan.
authors: Ayane
authors: A
authors: Yamaguchi
authors: Department of Breast Surgery, Osaka Red Cross Hospital, 5-30 Fudegasaki-cho, Tennoji-ku, Osaka City, Osaka, 543-8555, Japan; Department of Breast Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Kawaharacho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.
authors: Yukiko
authors: Y
authors: Kawata
authors: Department of Breast Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Kawaharacho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.
authors: Kosuke
authors: K
authors: Kawaguchi
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D005453:Fluorescence; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects*; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D011859:Radiography; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D007208:Indocyanine Green
keywords: Indocyanine green (ICG)-fluorescence method; Lymphatic pathways; Neoadjuvant chemotherapy; Sentinel lymph node biopsy