title: Does a Positive Axillary Lymph Node Needle Biopsy Result Predict the Need for an Axillary Lymph Node Dissection in Clinically Node-Negative Breast Cancer Patients in the ACOSOG Z0011 Era?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG) Z0011 defined clinical node negativity by physical examination alone. Although axillary ultrasound with biopsy has a positive predictive value for lymph node (LN) metastases approaching 100 %, it may not appropriately identify clinically node-negative women with ≥3 positive LNs who require axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). We sought to identify the total number of positive LNs in women presenting with cT1-2N0 breast carcinoma with a positive preoperative LN biopsy to evaluate the potential for overtreatment when ALND is performed on the basis of a positive needle biopsy in patients who otherwise meet ACOSOG Z0011 eligibility criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with cT1-2N0 breast cancer by physical examination with a positive preoperative LN biopsy were identified from a prospective institutional database. Clinicopathologic characteristics and axillary imaging results were compared between women with 1 to 2 total positive LNs and ≥3 total positive LNs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between May 2006 and December 2013, a total of 141 women with cT1-2N0 breast cancer had abnormal axillary imaging and a preoperative positive LN biopsy (median patient age 51 years, median tumor size 2.4 cm, 86 % ductal histology, 79 % estrogen receptor positive). Sixty-six women (47 %) had 1 to 2 total positive LNs, and 75 (53 %) had ≥3 total positive LNs. Women with ≥3 total positive LNs had larger tumors (2.4 vs. 2.2 cm, p = 0.03), fewer tumors with ductal histology (79 vs. 94 %, p = 0.01), more lymphovascular invasion (80 vs. 61 %, p = 0.01), and higher median body mass index (29.2 vs. 27.1 kg/m(2), p = 0.04). Having >1 abnormal LN on axillary imaging was significantly associated with having ≥3 total positive LNs at final pathology (68 vs. 43 %, p = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Axillary imaging with preoperative LN biopsy does not accurately discriminate low- versus high-volume nodal disease in clinically node-negative patients.
authors.affiliation: Breast Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pilewskie
authors.affiliation: Breast Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Starr Koslow
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mautner
authors.affiliation: Breast Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stempel
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eaton
authors.affiliation: Breast Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA. morrowm@mskcc.org.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morrow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human