Clinical predictors of axillary lymph node metastasis in early breast cancer in Indian patients

ABSTRACT

Background: Surgical dissection is the accepted mode of staging the axilla in breast cancer. Proper prediction of axillary node positivity can help towards stratifying patients. The primary objective of the study was to assess the clinical factors influencing pathological axillary lymph node positivity in early carcinoma breast.Methods: This was a retrospective study, conducted at a tertiary cancer centre. Case records of all the patients with invasive breast cancer which are clinical T1 and T2 and either N0 or NI, from January 2011 to October 2014 were analysed. Clinical profile of the patient including age, BMI, comorbid, menstrual history, family history, symptoms, site of the lesion, size, single or multi centric origin were analysed.Results: Total of 608 patients of early breast cancer analysed of which 248 had pathological nodal positivity. The age group of 51 to 75 years, BMI ≥30, pre-menopausal patients had significant positive predictive value when compared to post-menopausal. Tumours in lower outer quadrant, central sector and multiple tumours also had positive predictive value. Clinical T2 when compared to clinical T1 stage and MRM when compared to BCS had significant positive predictive value.Conclusions: To conclude in present study age of the patient and clinical location of the tumour and surgery performed emerged as significant independent predictive factors of positive lymph node. Prospective studies are required to further prove the significance of these factors.