The Efficacy of Sentinel Node Biopsy Using Subareolar Injection of Radioactive Material in Breast Cancer / 한국유방암학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate the feasibility of sentinel node biopsy (SNB) using subareolar injection of radioactive material in breast cancer. METHODS: The prospective study was performed of 112 breast cancers (T1 or T2 stages) at Ewha Womans University Mok-Dong Hospital from February 2001 to June 2003. Patients underwent lymphoscintigraphy using 99mTc sulfur colloid. The feasibility of SNB was assessed through comparison with simultaneous axillary node dissection. RESULTS: All patients were women, and the median age was 46 years. Internal mammary sentinel lymph node was identified in 2 cases (1.8%). The first node was appeared on lymphoscintigraphy around at 10.7 minutes after subareolar injection. Sentinel nodes could be identified in 111 (99.1%) among 112 patients with a gamma probe. The mean number of harvested sentinel nodes were 3.3 and metastasis was noted 80 of 368 nodes (21.7%). False negative rate was 4.1%. CONCLUSION: SNB using subareolar injection of radioactive material could be a alternative method to replace axillary node dissection in T1 or T2 breast cancers, especially in case of clinical node negative patients.