Applicability of two different validated models to predict axillary non-sentinel lymph node status by sentinel node biopsy in a single Italian center.

BACKGROUND: The necessity of complete axillary lymph node dissection (CALND) after sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for women with sentinel lymph node metastases is a matter of debate because non-sentinel lymph nodes after CALND contain no further metastases in about 50 % of cases. Our study aims to determine the applicability in our setting of two different validated nomograms to predict axillary lymph node status after SLNB. METHODS: We collected data about all women who underwent SLNB in our Department of Surgery from 2007 to 2010, focusing on tumor, patient, and breast characteristics. Data was analyzed by R (version 2.15.2); p < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Among 511 women who underwent SLNB, 126 received CALND due to sentinel lymph node metastasis, and 73.0 % of these had no further metastatic non-sentinel lymph node. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) nomogram and the Tenon score were 78.5 % (95 % CI 70.1-86.8 %) and 77.0 % (95 % CI 67.9-86.0 %) (p = 0.678), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Both the MSKCC nomogram and the Tenon score were predictive for the axillary non-sentinel lymph node status by SLNB. The MSKCC nomogram was the more accurate of the two and the Tenon score was the easier one to apply.

Incidence and risk factors of the intraoperative localization failure of nonpalpable breast lesions by radio-guided occult lesion localization: a retrospective analysis of 579 cases.

BACKGROUND: The radio-guided occult lesion localization (ROLL) technique allows the identification of nonpalpable breast lesions by means of the preoperative, intratumoral injection of a radiotracer. Our study aimed to determine the incidence and risk factors of ROLL failure. METHODS: We collected data about all women who underwent ROLL in our department from 2002 to 2009, focusing on patient characteristics such as breast size and density, lesion size, localization, histology, radiologist, and surgeon experience. Data were analyzed using R v2.10.1, considering p < 0.05 significant. RESULTS: A total of 579 ROLLs were performed on 555 women with a mean age of 58.7 (± 10.96) years. Incidence of ROLL failure at the first intervention was 4 % (23/579). Through monovariate analysis, ROLL failure was significantly influenced by stereotactic mammography-guided procedure, invasive tumors, pathological and radiological lesion size ≤ 5 mm, and the lesion's location in the central or upper breast quadrants. Through multivariate analysis, the most predictive factors for ROLL failure were as follows: lesion localization in the central quadrant, lesion radiological size ≤ 5 mm, and radiologist inexperience. CONCLUSIONS: The main risk factors for ROLL failure were the radiologist's inexperience, lesion size ≤ 5 mm, and its localization in the central subareolar quadrant, probably due to an unfavorable radiological and surgical reaching of the breast area.

Nine years of experience with the sentinel lymph node biopsy in a single Italian center: a retrospective analysis of 1,050 cases.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to determine the prevalence and predictive factors for recurrence after sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and for sentinel lymph node positivity by SLNB in our population. METHODS: We followed up all SLNBs performed between 2002 and 2010 and analyzed data by R (version2.10.1), considering p < 0.05 significant. RESULTS: Among 1,050 patients with SLNB, 23% (245/1050) underwent secondary axillary dissection (CALND). Axillary recurrence prevalence among patients with negative SLNB was 1% (6/805) at a mean follow-up of 54 months (±14), and 1.7% (95% CI 0.2-3.1%) after 6 years of follow-up, as all recurrences developed between the 3rd and the 6th years of follow-up. By multivariate analysis, axillary recurrence results correlated with large tumor size, high number of excised nodes, lymphovascular invasion, high grading, multifocality, Her-2 positivity, intraductal histology, and comedo-like necrosis. Moreover, SLNB positivity results correlated with young age, large tumor size, high number of excised nodes, negative history for second primary malignancies, lymphovascular invasion, and high grading. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer characteristics represent important predictive factors for SLNB positivity, as well as for axillary recurrence in patients with negative SLNB, independently, by surgical and nonsurgical treatment. Therefore, cancer biological behavior and the patient's hormonal profile should be evaluated with care to better tailor the follow-up of women with breast cancer.