title: A prospective randomized trial comparing patent blue and methylene blue for the detection of the sentinel lymph node in breast cancer patients.
abstract: Methylene blue is more widely available and less expensive than patent blue, with an apparently lower risk of anaphylaxis.
  The two dyes were compared regarding detection of the sentinel lymph node (SLN).
  A prospective, randomized trial involved 142 patients with invasive breast carcinoma. Sixty-nine (49.3%) assigned to patent blue (group A) and 71 (50.70%) to methylene blue (group B). Thirty-five patients (25.0%) were clinical stage III or IV; 55 (38.7%) had axillary lymph nodes affected; and 69 (49.3%) underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Two patients were excluded because the dye type was not recorded.
  Patients and tumor characteristics were similar in both groups. SLNs were identified in 47 women (68.1%) in group A and 43 (60.6%) in group B (p=0.35). SLNs were affected in 22 cases (51.2%) in group A and 21 (48.8%) in group B (p=0.62). The SLN was the only node affected in 12 cases (54.5%) in group A and six (33.3%) in group B (p=0.18). The time and degree of difficulty involved in identifying the SLN were similar in both groups. There were no complications or allergies.
  Methylene blue performed as well as patent blue in identifying the SLN in breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: MD, PhD, Mastology Program, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Régis Resende
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Paulinelli
authors.affiliation: MD, PhD, Mastology Program, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ruffo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Freitas-Junior
authors.affiliation: MD, PhD, Mastology Program, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosemar Macedo de Souza
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Rahal
authors.affiliation: MD, MsM, Mastology Program, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, UFG, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luis Fernando de Pádua
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: MD, Department of Pathology and Imaging, UFG, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Helena Tavares
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Vilela
authors.affiliation: MD, PhD, Department of Pathology and Imaging, UFG, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marise Amaral Rebouças
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.affiliation: MD, Mastology Program, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, UFG, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Katyane Larissa
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: MD, Mastology Program, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, UFG, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marina Berquó
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Peleja
authors.affiliation: MD, Mastology Program, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, UFG, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tatiane Coelho Capel de
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Resende
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008751:Methylene Blue; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D000071036:Sentinel Lymph Node; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; C008769:sulfan blue; D008751:Methylene Blue