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Although sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is rapidly becoming the standard of care for small breast cancers the optimal radiocolloid injection technique remains controversial. We report our experience with sequential dermal-peritumoral radiocolloid injection that takes advantage of both techniques. One hundred eighteen patients with clinical stage Ti8, T1, T2 and N0 breast cancer underwent SLN biopsy at the University of Florida. Twelve to 18 hours before surgery patients received either an injection of 0.5 to 1.0 mCi 50:50 filtered:unfiltered technetium sulfur colloid into the dermis overlying the tumor and/or a peritumoral injection of a 3 to 4-mCi of radiocolloid 30 minutes later. Dynamic lymphoscintigraphy was performed and the topographical location of all imaged lymph nodes was marked on the skin. The next morning the surgeon utilized a hand-held gamma probe to remove all SLN(s) defined as any lymph node with radioactive counts 10 per cent or more of the ex vivo counts of the most radioactive SLN [internal mammary (IM) nodes were not removed]. The SLN identification rate was 98.5 per cent (3 IM nodes) for dermal injection (D), 83.3 per cent (1 IM node) for peritumoral injection (P), and 100 per cent (14 IM nodes) for sequential dermal-peritumoral injection (DP) ( p < 0.05 DP versus D). Sequential DP 50:50 filtered:unfiltered technetium sulfur colloid injection results in a rapid, high SLN identification rate that persists until surgery the next morning. Delineation of nonaxillary SLNs may lead to more accurate breast cancer staging and may also influence the delivery of IM node radiation.

Recently, there has been a decrease in the number of graduating U.S. medical students entering surgical residency. Therefore the purpose of this study was to examine student career choice over the last two decades (1982-2002) at the University of Florida. Residency match and academic performance data for the University of Florida medical school graduates from 1982 through 2002 were obtained from the College of Medicine's Offices of Student Affairs and Education. The percentage of medical students pursuing a career in surgery rose slightly in the 1980s to peak at 22 per cent of the graduating class in 1991 and then steadily declined in the 1990s to 15 per cent in the graduating class of 2002. The percentage of women entering surgical residency has remained relatively constant (20-year mean = 6.41 +/- 0.77) despite a significant increase percentage of women in the graduating class (Class of 1983, 24%; Class of 2002, 55%). The percentage of graduating students entering a primary care residency has remained relatively constant (54.4 +/- 1.24), whereas the number of students pursuing a "lifestyle-friendly" specialty has increased substantially over the last two decades (Class of 1983, 9%; Class of 2002, 22%). In addition the mean overall grade point average of female students entering 'lifestyle-friendly' specialty residencies is significantly higher than the mean overall grade point average of all students entering a surgical residency (3.61 +/- 0.38 versus 3.48 +/- 0.35; P0.05). Similar to national trends the percentage of senior medical students entering surgical residency at the University of Florida is gradually declining. Although the percentage of graduating medical students entering primary care has remained relatively constant the number of students following a lifestyle-friendly specialty has steadily increased. A disproportionately low number of graduating female medical students are entering surgical residency. By one measure of academic performance the quality of female graduates entering lifestyle-friendly specialty residencies is superior to that of students entering surgical residency. Lifestyle issues are increasingly important in student career choice decisions.

Although sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is rapidly becoming the standard of care for small breast cancers the optimal radiocolloid injection technique remains controversial. We report our experience with sequential dermal-peritumoral radiocolloid injection that takes advantage of both techniques. One hundred eighteen patients with clinical stage T(is), T1, T2 and N0 breast cancer underwent SLN biopsy at the University of Florida. Twelve to 18 hours before surgery patients received either an injection of 0.5 to 1.0 mCi 50:50 filtered:unfiltered technetium sulfur colloid into the dermis overlying the tumor and/or a peritumoral injection of a 3 to 4-mCi of radiocolloid 30 minutes later. Dynamic lymphoscintigraphy was performed and the topographical location of all imaged lymph nodes was marked on the skin. The next morning the surgeon utilized a hand-held gamma probe to remove all SLN(s) defined as any lymph node with radioactive counts 10 per cent or more of the ex vivo counts of the most radioactive SLN [internal mammary (IM) nodes were not removed]. The SLN identification rate was 98.5 per cent (3 IM nodes) for dermal injection (d.), 83.3 per cent (1 IM node) for peritumoral injection (p.), and 100 per cent (14 IM nodes) for sequential dermal-peritumoral injection (d.p.) (p0.05 DP versus D). Sequential d.p. 50:50 filtered:unfiltered technetium sulfur colloid injection results in a rapid, high SLN identification rate that persists until surgery the next morning. Delineation of nonaxillary SLNs may lead to more accurate breast cancer staging and may also influence the delivery of IM node radiation.