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The optimal management of the axillae of patients with microinvasive breast cancer in the sentinel lymph node era.

Authors :
Gray RJ
Mulheron B
Pockaj BA
Degnim A
Smith SL
Source :
American journal of surgery [Am J Surg] 2007 Dec; Vol. 194 (6), pp. 845-8; discussion 848-9.
Publication Year :
2007

Abstract

Background: For patients with microinvasive breast cancer, the value of intraoperative analysis of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) and complete axillary lymph node dissection (CALND) is not well known.<br />Methods: All patients staged T1mic from 2001 to 2005 were analyzed.<br />Results: Among all 81 patients, 4 (5%) had SLN metastases detected with hematoxylin and eosin staining and 2 (2%) had metastases identified by immunohistochemistry staining only. Seventy-seven patients (95%) underwent SLN biopsy; 3 (4%) had hematoxylin and eosin SLN metastases and 2 (3%) had immunohistochemistry-detected metastases. One SLN metastasis was identified on frozen section analysis. No patient with a SLN metastasis had additional metastases on CALND. The patient charges for frozen section analyses were $39,578 for 77 patients. This prevented 1 reoperative CALND at a charge of $20,274.<br />Conclusions: Frozen section analysis should be used only in select patients with microinvasive breast cancer and CALND is of limited value for these patients.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1879-1883
Volume :
194
Issue :
6
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
American journal of surgery
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
18005782
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2007.08.034