Sentinel lymph node biopsy for forecasting axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer / 中国微创外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the value of sentinel lymph node (SLN) for forecasting axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer. Methods Fifty-six patients with breast cancer underwent SLN methylene blue mapping and biopsy,as well as axillary lymph node dissection.All lymph nodes received routine HE staining and immunohistochemical examination. Results SLN was successfully identified in 52 cases (52/56,92.8%).Routine pathological examination demonstrated metastasis of SLN in 22 cases and metastasis of non-SLN in 1 case,the false negative rate being 4 3% (1/23).In the remaining 29 cases without pathologically verified metastasis,immunohistochemical staining showed 1 case of CK-19 (+) with EMA (+) and another 1 case of CK-19 (+) with CEA (+),without metastasis of non-SLN. Conclusions SLN methylene blue mapping and biopsy may forecast axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer.