Learning from organisational changes in the management of breast cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: Preparing for a second wave at a breast unit in northern Italy.

Italy was the first western country to be hit by the initial wave of severe adult respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic, which has been more widespread in the country's northern regions. Early reports showing that cancer patients are more susceptible to the infection posed a particular challenge that has guided our Breast Unit at Hub Hospital in Trento to making a number of stepwise operational changes. New internal guidelines and treatment selection criteria were drawn up by a virtual multidisciplinary tumour board that took into account the risks and benefits of treatment, and distinguished the patients requiring immediate treatment from those whose treatment could be delayed. A second wave of the pandemic is expected in the autumn as gatherings in closed places increase. We will take advantage of the gained experience and organisational changes implemented during the first wave in order to improve further, and continue to offer breast cancer management and treatment to our vulnerable patient population.

Positive predictive value for malignancy of uncertain malignant potential (B3) breast lesions diagnosed on vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB): is surgical excision still recommended?

PURPOSE: Breast lesions classified as of "uncertain malignant potential" represent a heterogeneous group of abnormalities with an increased risk of associated malignancy. Clinical management of B3 lesions diagnosed on vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB) is still challenging: surgical excision is no longer the only available treatment and VABB may be sufficient for therapeutic excision. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the positive predictive value (PPV) for malignancy in B3 lesions that underwent surgical excision, identifying possible upgrading predictive factors and characterizing the malignant lesions eventually diagnosed. These results are compared with a subset of patients with B3 lesions who underwent follow-up. METHODS: A total of 1250 VABBs were performed between January 2006 and December 2017 at our center. In total, 150 B3 cases were diagnosed and 68 of them underwent surgical excision. VABB findings were correlated with excision histology. A PPV for malignancy for each B3 subtype was derived. RESULTS: The overall PPV rate was 28%, with the highest upgrade rate for atypical ductal hyperplasia (41%), followed by classical lobular neoplasia (29%) and flat epithelial atypia (11%). Only two cases of carcinoma were detected in the follow-up cohort, both associated with atypical ductal hyperplasia at VABB. CONCLUSION: Open surgery is recommended in case of atypical ductal hyperplasia while, for other B3 lesions, excision with VABB only may be an acceptable alternative if radio-pathological correlation is assessed, if all microcalcifications have been removed by VABB, and if the lesion lacks high-risk cytological features. KEY POINTS: • Surgical treatment is strongly recommended in case of ADH, while the upgrade rate in case of pure FEA, especially following complete microcalcification removal by VABB, may be sufficiently low to advice surveillance as a management strategy. • The use of 11-G- or 8-G-needle VABB, resulting in possible complete diagnostic excision of the lesion, can be an acceptable alternative in case of RS, considering open surgery only for selected high-risk patients. • LN management is more controversial: surgical excision may be recommended following classical LN diagnosis on breast biopsy if an additional B3 lesion is concurrently detected while in the presence of isolated LN with adequate radiological-pathological correlation follow-up alone could be an acceptable option.

Management of the axilla in patients with breast cancer and positive sentinel lymph node biopsy: An evidence-based update in a European breast center.

The surgical approach to the axilla in breast cancer has been a controversial issue for more than three decades. Data from recently published trials have provided practice-changing recommendations in this scenario. However, further controversies have been triggered in the surgical community, resulting in heterogeneous diffusion of these recommendations. The development of clinical guidelines for the management of the axilla in patients with breast cancer is a work in progress. A multidisciplinary team discussion was held at the research hospital Policlinico San Matteo from the Università degli Studi di Pavia with the aim to update recommendations for the management of the axilla in patients with breast cancer. An evidence-based approach is presented. Our multidisciplinary panel determined that axillary dissection after a positive sentinel lymph node biopsy may be avoided in cN0 patients with micro/macrometastasis to ≤2 sentinel nodes, with age ≥40y, lesions ≤3 cm, who have not received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and have planned breast conservation (BCS) with whole breast radiotherapy (WBRT). Cases with gross (>2 mm) ECE in SLNs are evaluated on individual basis for completion ALND, axillary radiotherapy or omission of both. Patients fulfilling the criteria listed above who undergo mastectomy, may also avoid axillary dissection after multidisciplinary discussion of individual cases for consideration of axillary irradiation. Women 70 years or older with hormone receptors positive invasive lesions ≤3 cm, clinically negative nodes, and serious or multiple comorbidities who undergo BCS with WBRT, may forgo axillary staging/surgery (if mastectomy or larger tumor, comorbidities and life expectancy are taken into account).

Trends in axillary lymph node dissection for early-stage breast cancer in Europe: Impact of evidence on practice.

BACKGROUND: Data from recently published trials have provided practice-changing recommendations for the surgical approach to the axilla in breast cancer. Patients with T1-2 lesions, treated with breast conservation, who have not received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and have 1-2 positive sentinel nodes (Z0011-criteria) may avoid axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). We aim to describe the dissemination of this practice in Europe over an extended period of time. METHODS: Our source of data was the eusomaDB, a central data warehouse of prospectively collected information of the European Society of Breast Cancer Specialists (EUSOMA). We identified cases fulfilling Z0011-criteria from 2005 to 2016 from 34 European breast centers and report trends in ALND. Data derived from Germany, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, and Netherlands. RESULTS: 6671 patients fulfilled Z0011-criteria. Rates of ALND showed a statistically significant decrease from 2010 (89%) to 2011 (73%), reaching 46% in 2016 (p < 0.001). After multivariable analysis, factors associated with higher probability of ALND were earlier year of surgery, younger age, increasing tumor size and grade, and being operated in Italy (p < 0.001). The minimum and maximal rates of ALND in the most recent two-year period (2015-2016) were 0% and 83% in two centers located in different countries (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates, a decrease in rates of ALND that started after year 2010 through the end of the study period. Wide differences were observed among centers and countries indicating the need to spread unified clinical guidelines in Europe to allow for homogeneous evidence-based practice patterns.

Clinicopathological and Immunohistochemical Characteristics in Male Breast Cancer: A Retrospective Case Series.

BACKGROUND: Due to its rarity, male breast cancer (mBC) remains an inadequately characterized disease, and current evidence for treatment derives from female breast cancer (FBC). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes of mBCs treated from 2000 to 2013. RESULTS: From a total of 97 patients with mBC, 6 (6.2%) with ductal in situ carcinoma were excluded, and 91 patients with invasive carcinoma were analyzed. Median age was 65 years (range: 25-87 years). Estrogen receptors were positive in 88 patients (96.7%), and progesterone receptors were positive in 84 patients (92.3%). HER-2 was overexpressed in 13 of 85 patients (16%). Median follow-up was 51.5 months (range: 0.5-219.3 months). Five-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 50%, whereas overall survival (OS) was 68.1%. Patients with grades 1 and 2 presented 5-year PFS of 71% versus 22.5% for patients with grade 3 disease; 5-year OS was 85.7% for patients with grades 1 and 2 versus 53.3% of patients with grade 3. Ki-67 score >20% and adjuvant chemotherapy were also statistically significant for OS on univariate analyses. Twenty-six of 87 patients (29.8%) experienced recurrent disease and 16 of 91 patients (17.6%) developed a second neoplasia. CONCLUSION: Male breast cancer shows different biological patterns compared with FBC, with higher positive hormone-receptor status and lower HER-2 overexpression. Grade 3 and Ki-67 >20% were associated with shorter OS. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: There is little evidence that prognostic features established in female breast cancer, such as grading and Ki-67 labeling index, could be applied to male breast cancer as well. This study found that grade 3 was associated with shorter overall survival and a trend for Ki-67 >20%; this could help in choosing the best treatment option in the adjuvant setting. Many questions remain regarding the impact of HER-2 positivity on survival and treatment with adjuvant anti-HER-2 therapy. Regarding metastatic male breast cancer, the results suggest that common regimens of chemo-, endocrine and immunotherapy used in female breast cancer are safe and effective for men. Male breast cancer patients show a higher incidence of second primary tumors, especially prostate and colon cancers and should therefore be carefully monitored.

Hepatic vein-sparing hepatectomy for multiple colorectal liver metastases at the caval confluence.

BACKGROUND: Two-stage hepatectomies generally are selected for patients with multiple bilobar colorectal liver metastases (CLMs) involving the hepatic veins (HV) at the caval confluence to reduce the risk of postoperative hepatic failure due to insufficient remnant liver.1 (,) 2 The use of IOUS based on well-established criteria offers alternative technical solutions to the staged resections.3 (,) 4 This report describes a sophisticated IOUS-guided parenchyma-sparing procedure. METHODS: A 57-year-old woman with multiple CLMs underwent surgery. One of these CLMs was located in segments 8 to 4 sup involving the middle hepatic vein (MHV) at the caval confluence. A second CLM was between dorsal segment 8 and the paracaval portion of segment 1 involving the right hepatic vein (RHV) at the caval confluence. Neither the inferior RHV nor the communicating veins were evident at preoperative imaging. The left hemiliver represented 27 % of the total liver volume, and segments 2 and 3 represented 16 %. RESULTS: After a J-shaped thoracophrenolaparotomy, liver exploration with IOUS showed tumoral invasion of MHV and RHV at their caval confluence for one third of their circumference. No communicating veins were intraoperatively evident. A partial resection of segments 7, 8, and 4 superior and 1-paracaval sparing both RHV and MHV was performed. The latter were partially resected, and vessel wall reconstruction was obtained by direct running suture. No congested area or vascular thrombosis occurred, and the postoperative course was uneventful. No local recurrence had occurred after 6 months of follow-up evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: The video shows an HV-sparing IOUS-guided hepatectomy as an alternative to conventional staged surgery. This policy represents a safe and effective alternative to major resection performed immediately or in a staged perspective.

Conservative surgery for ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence.

The surgical and radiotherapeutic management of patients who develop an ipsilateral breast recurrence after primary conservative therapy remains controversial. Although current guidelines indicate the need for mastectomy for all recurrences, some reports in the literature suggest that a new conserving procedure (including repeat lumpectomy and second sentinel node biopsy) may be oncologically safe in selected patients. The rationale and current evidence for an appropriate second conservative approach are reviewed and discussed.

Conservative hepatectomy for tumors involving the middle hepatic vein and segment 1: the liver tunnel.

BACKGROUND: For lesions invading the middle hepatic vein (MHV) at caval confluence (CC) the mini-mesohepatectomy(MMH) was proposed.1 If the lesion is extended to the paracaval portion of segment 1(S1) in contact or invading the MHV a new procedure is proposed. METHODS: Case-1: mass forming cholangiocarcinoma (MFCCC) 4cm in size invading the MHV and in contact with right (RHV) and left hepatic vein (LHV) at the CC. In Case-2, two colorectal liver metastases (CLM) both 2cm in size occupied S1 (T1) and S8 (T2): T1 was located between RHV and the inferior vena cava (IVC), T2 was in contact with MHV at CC. According to tumor-vessel intraoperative-ultrasound classification2 and color-flow analysis3 parenchyma-sparing procedure was performed. RESULTS: In Case-1 a communicating vein (CV) between RHV and MHV was detected at color-flow-IOUS. Contacts between MFCCC with RHV and LHV were confirmed at IOUS as detachable. In Case-2 contact between T1 with MHV was confirmed at IOUS as detachable. Liver-tunnel with IVC and main portal vein bifurcation exposure was performed resecting the MHV in Case-1 and preserving it in Case-2. Both patients had ad an uneventful postoperative course and were discharged on the 8th postoperative day. CONCLUSION: For tumors involving S1, S4s and/or S8 and infiltrating or in contact with the MHV at the CC, can be removed in a conservative manner by means of the herein described ''Liver Tunnel'' approach. The latter introduces a further step in favour of parenchyma-sparing policy for centrally located lesions with complex tumor-vessel relationship.

Radical but conservative liver resection for large centrally located hepatocellular carcinoma: the mini upper-transversal hepatectomy.

BACKGROUND: In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a diseased liver, surgery should be offered in a parenchyma-sparing fashion. This approach seems unfeasible for large and deeply located lesions. Ultrasound study of the tumor-vessel relationship and hepatic inflow and outflow opens new technical solutions: herein is described a new operation based on this approach.1 (-) 3 METHODS: A 69-year-old man with a large centrally located HCC (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C) underwent surgery. The HCC was located in segments 7, 8, and part of 5, extensively compressing and dislodging the anterior (P5-8) and posterior (P6-7) Glissonean pedicles at their origin. The lesion involved the right hepatic vein (RHV) and was in contact with the middle hepatic vein at the caval confluence. An inferior RHV (IRHV) was preoperatively evident. RESULTS: After a J-shaped thoracophrenolaparotomy, the liver exploration with the aid of intraoperative ultrasound confirmed the tumoral contact without vascular invasion with P5-8 and P6-7 and disclosed multiple communicating veins between the middle hepatic vein and RHV, warranting with the IRHV the segment 5-6 outflows. A resection of segments 7 and 8 with RHV resection, together with complete tumor detachment from P5-8 and P6-7, was performed. The specimen was removed combining the crush-clamping method for the parenchyma division and a peeling-off technique by means of blunt scissor dissection for the tumor vessel detachment. The postoperative course was uneventful. The patient was alive without recurrence at 12 months after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: This video is the first live demonstration of the previously reported radical but conservative policy, adding to the latter the technical solutions provided by detection of accessory veins such as the IRHV and communicating veins.1 (-) 4.

Breast cancer mastectomy trends between 2006 and 2010: association with magnetic resonance imaging, immediate breast reconstruction, and hospital volume.

PURPOSE: Analysis of mastectomy rates in breast cancer patients diagnosed between 2006 and 2010 in Germany with focus on impact of breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) rates, and hospital volume as possible influencing factors of mastectomy rates. METHODS: Data of a voluntary monitored benchmarking project were used to evaluate mastectomy trends across time in an unselected cohort of breast cancer patients. We used univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify predictive factors of mastectomy. RESULTS: A total of 142.863 cases were included into the analysis. There was an overall decrease of 5.9% (95% confidence interval 5.1-6.7) in mastectomy trend from 36.5% in 2006 to 30.6% in 2010 (P < 0.0001). Known predictive factors were confirmed. Breast MRI (odds ratio 1.42, 95% confidence interval 1.36-1.47) and small hospitals (<150 cases per year) seem to favor mastectomy. IBR was not associated with mastectomy rates. CONCLUSIONS: Mastectomy rates in comparable health systems differ. Performance of preoperative breast MRI and hospital volume seem to be independent influencing factors for mastectomy rates.

Fluctuating mastectomy rates across time and geography.

In 2009, 2 single-institution studies from the United States reported increasing mastectomy rates during the last decade. We have recently reported unilateral mastectomy trends from a European database and demonstrated a significant trend of decreasing mastectomy rates from 38.1 % in 2005 to 13.1 % in 2010. A recent study from the SEER registry in the United States confirmed a previously reported decrease in mastectomy rates from 40.1 % in year 2000 to 35.6 % in 2005, but showed a statistically significant increase in mastectomy rates up to 38.4 % in 2008. This report provides evidence that mastectomy trends may be in opposite directions in different geographical areas. The sharpest increase in mastectomy rates across all ages in the recent SEER study occurs right after year 2005, which interestingly corresponds with the time of publication of the meta-analysis by the EBCTCG that highlighted the importance of local control in breast cancer. The coincident timing raises the question of whether this evidence may have indirectly triggered an increase in mastectomy rates in the United States that would partially explain the observed trend, and more importantly, of whether an increase would be justified on this basis. Multiple factors influence the proportion between mastectomy and breast conservation, so it may be unreasonable to think of an optimal cutoff. There is not necessarily a right or wrong direction for mastectomy trends, but aiming to determine explanations for these differences may help provide a clearer insight of the decision-making process involved in the surgical management of breast cancer.

Upper transversal hepatectomy.

BACKGROUND: For tumors involving hepatic veins (HV) at hepato-caval confluence (HC), major hepatectomy or vascular reconstruction, are recommended. Detection of communicating veins (CV) between adjacent HVs allows conservative hepatectomies. METHODS: A 61 year-old man was operated for multiple colorectal liver metastases (CLM). The 2 main CLM (14 and 3.5 cm in size) were adjacent, separated by the middle HV (MHV) at HC, and involved segments 1(paracaval portion), 7, and 8, and segments 4-superior(S4sup) and 1(paracaval portion), respectively. At HC the larger CLM invaded the right HV (RHV), and the smaller was in contact with the left HV (LHV). A thick inferior RHV (IRHV), and 2 CVs connecting IRHV-MHV and MHV-LHV, were evident. RESULTS: After J-shaped thoracophrenolaparotomy, intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) confirmed the CVs. Liver was detached from the inferior vena cava preserving the IRHV: RHV was divided, and common trunk of MHV-LHV was taped, and, once clamped, hepato-petal flow in S4inf, S5, and S6 portal branches was confirmed at IOUS. Upper-transverse IOUS-guided resection, comprehensive of S7, S8, S4sup, and S1 (paracaval portion) with preservation of the CVs was performed. MHV at HC was divided once detachment of the LHV from the tumor was ultimate. No congestive areas remained. No postoperative mortality and major morbidity occurred: patient was discharge on 17th postoperative day, and is disease-free at 7 months after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Detection of CVs between adjacent HVs enables new conservative hepatectomies for tumors at HC. The herein described upper transversal hepatectomy despite two HVs are resected, allows adequate liver outflow and remaining functional liver parenchyma.

Mastectomy trends for early-stage breast cancer: a report from the EUSOMA multi-institutional European database.

INTRODUCTION: Recent single-institution reports have shown increased mastectomy rates during the last decade. Further studies aiming to determine if these reports could be reflecting a national trend in the United States of America (US) have shown conflicting results. We report these trends from a multi-institutional European database. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Our source of data was the eusomaDB, a central data warehouse of prospectively collected information of the European Society of Breast Cancer Specialists (EUSOMA). We identified patients with newly diagnosed unilateral early-stage breast cancer (stages 0, I or II) to examine rates and trends in surgical treatment. RESULTS: A total of 15,369 early-stage breast cancer cases underwent surgery in 13 Breast Units from 2003 to 2010. Breast conservation was successful in 11,263 cases (73.3%). Adjusted trend by year showed a statistically significant decrease in mastectomy rates from 2005 to 2010 (p = 0.003) with a progressive reduction of 4.24% per year. A multivariate model showed a statistically significant association of the following factors with mastectomy: age < 40 or ≥ 70 years, pTis, pT1mi, positive axillary nodes, lobular histology, tumour grade II and III, negative progesterone receptors and multiple lesions. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that a high proportion of patients with newly diagnosed unilateral early-stage breast cancer from the eusomaDB underwent breast-conserving surgery. It also shows a significant trend of decreasing mastectomy rates from 2005 to 2010. Moreover, our study suggests mastectomy rates in the population from the eusomaDB are lower than those reported in the US.

Nipple-sparing mastectomy and immediate tissue expander/implant breast reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: The nipple is an uncommon site for breast cancer development, but the nipple-areola complex is routinely excised in breast cancer treatment. The authors evaluated the risks and benefits of nipple- or areola-sparing mastectomy with breast reconstruction. METHODS: The authors analyzed data on 115 consecutive nipple- or areola-sparing mastectomies with immediate tissue expander breast reconstruction performed in 66 patients from 1998 to 2008 at a single tertiary-care cancer center. Nipple-sparing mastectomies were performed for prophylaxis (n = 75) or treatment of disease (n = 40). RESULTS: Mean patient age was 45 years (range, 24 to 61 years) and mean follow-up time was 22 months (range, 2 weeks to 91 months). There were 115 nipple- or areola-sparing mastectomies (48 bilateral and 19 unilateral), including 111 nipple-sparing and four areola-sparing mastectomies. On pathologic review, 20 breasts had ductal carcinoma in situ, 20 breasts had invasive cancer, 11 breasts had lobular carcinoma in situ, one breast had phyllodes tumor, one breast had mucinous carcinoma, and 62 breasts were cancer-free. Incision placement was periareolar and radial (n = 61), inframammary (n = 25), omega type (n = 14), customized to include a previous scar (n = 10), or transareolar (n = 5). Of all 115 nipple- or areola-sparing mastectomies, six nipples were lost because of occult disease (5.2 percent), and four nipples were lost because of wound-healing problems (3.5 percent). CONCLUSIONS: In the authors' series of nipple- and areola-sparing mastectomies performed for risk reduction or breast cancer, there was a low incidence of occult disease (5.2 percent). Nipple- and areola-sparing mastectomy may be feasible in selected patients and should be the subject of additional investigation.

Breast-conserving surgery in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers: are we approaching an answer?

BACKGROUND: Approximately 10% of patients with breast cancer who are treated with breast-conserving surgery (BCS) develop an ipsilateral-breast tumor recurrence (IBTR). The optimal local therapy for women with BRCA-associated breast carcinoma remains controversial. We report the outcome of BCS in BRCA mutation carriers followed at a single institution. METHODS: A total of 54 women with BRCA1/2-associated breast cancer treated with BCS and whole breast radiotherapy were matched for age, tumor size, and time of surgery with 162 patients with sporadic breast cancer who had the same treatment between February 1994 and October 2007. Primary end points were cumulative incidence of IBTR and contralateral breast cancer (CBC). Median follow-up was 4 years for both groups. RESULTS: Median age was 36 and 37 years for mutation carriers and controls, respectively; mean tumor size was 1.8 cm in carriers and 1.9 cm in controls. Ten-year cumulative incidence of IBTR was 27% for mutation carriers and 4% for sporadic controls (hazard ratio 3.9; 95% confidence interval 1.1-13.8; P = 0.03). Ten-year cumulative incidence of CBC was 25% for mutation carriers and 1% for sporadic controls (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that IBTR risk after BCS in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers is increased compared with patients who have sporadic breast cancer. Likewise, the risk of CBC seems to be increased in this group. These risks and the likelihood of developing new primary tumors should be discussed with carriers interested in breast conservation as well as when choosing risk-reducing strategies.

Nipple-sparing mastectomy: initial experience at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and a comprehensive review of literature.

Success achieved with skin-sparing mastectomy has led surgeons to reconsider the necessity of nipple-areola complex removal. This study reports our short- and mid-term postoperative outcomes with nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) and an updated review of reported literature. Data were retrospectively abstracted from medical records at our institution. Patients underwent NSM based on patient preference, oncologic criteria, and cosmesis. A literature review was undertaken through a PUBMED search and selected based on title and abstract relevance. Twenty-five patients underwent 42 NSMs at our institution from July 2000 to October 2005. Patient mean age was 44 years (29-59 years). Indications for mastectomy were: 34 (81%) for prophylaxis, 5 (12%) for invasive ductal carcinoma, 2 (5%) for ductal carcinoma in situ, and 1 (2%) for a malignant phyllodes tumor. One prophylactic mastectomy specimen showed ductal carcinoma in situ in the retroareolar tissue, and the nipple-areola complex was removed at a second operation. Mean tumor size in cases with invasive carcinoma (n = 5) was 1.9 cm (0.7-2.5 cm). All tumors were peripherally located, and no cases showed occult nipple involvement. The nipple-areola complex was entirely preserved in 39 (93%) mastectomies. One nipple-areola complex was surgically removed, and two (5%) cases had partial loss due to infection or ischemia. Cosmetic result from surgeon's assessment was excellent in 30 mastectomies, good in 7, acceptable in 3, and poor in 2, with slight nipple asymmetry in 8 cases. At a median follow-up of 10.5 months (range, 0.4-56.4 months), the 39 nipple-areola complexes were intact and there were no local or systemic recurrences in cases treated for cancer. NSM represented approximately 1% of all mastectomies performed at our institution during the reported period. It was mostly used for prophylaxis and for the treatment of malignant tumors in few selected cases. NSM can be performed with a high success rate of nipple-areola complex preservation. Conclusions about the oncologic safety of this procedure cannot be drawn from our study due to small size series and short follow-up. However, available published data show that NSM can be safely performed for breast cancer treatment in carefully selected cases. Further studies and longer follow-up are necessary to refine selection criteria for NSM.

Conservative surgery in patients with multifocal/multicentric breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Many physicians recommend mastectomy in case of multifocal (MF) or multicentric (MC) breast cancer due to a theoretical risk of poor local control with less extensive surgery. We retrospectively evaluate outcome of patients with MF/MC cancers who had breast conservation with specific attention on local control and predictive factors of recurrence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Four hundred and seventy six patients with either MF (n = 421) or MC (n = 55) breast cancer, underwent breast-conserving surgery between 1997 and 2002 in a single institution. Median follow up was 73 months (range 11-118). RESULTS: Median age was 53 years (range 23-86). Invasive lobular carcinoma was found in 88 patients (18.5%) and mixed ductal-lobular cancer in 27 (5.7%) patients. Two hundred and sixty-seven patients (76.7%) had two identified tumor foci, 55 patients (15.3%) had three and 29 patients (8.0%) had four or more. Two hundred and sixty-one patients (55.3%) had nodal involvement. The 5-year cumulative incidence of local relapse was 5.1%. At the multivariate analysis, over-expression of HER2/neu and lack of both estrogen and progesterone receptors (HR: 3.2, 95% C.I. 1.01-10.0, and HR: 2.7, 95% C.I. 1.06-7.7, respectively) were associated with a higher ipsilateral breast cancer reappearance rate. Involvement of four or more lymph nodes and lack of estrogen and progesterone receptors (HR: 2.7, 95% C.I. 1.06-6.7, and HR: 4.7, 95% C.I. 2.1-10.4, respectively) were associated with poorer overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients with MF/MC breast cancer, wide conservative surgery is not associated with poor local disease control and can be considered whenever acceptable cosmetic results can be achieved.

When sentinel lymph node is intramammary.

INTRODUCTION: Sentinel lymph node biopsy is an accepted standard of care for staging the axilla in patients with early-stage breast cancer. Little attention has been placed to the presence of intramammary sentinel lymph nodes (intraMSLNs) on preoperative lymphoscintigraphy. METHODS: Between December 2001 and September 2006, in 9632 breast cancer patients with clinically uninvolved axillary nodes, lymphoscintigraphy was performed at the European Institute of Oncology (EIO). An axillary SLN (axSLN) was identified in 99.4% of cases. An intraMSLN was identified in association with the axillary sentinel lymph node in 22 patients (0.2%). In 15 cases both the axSLN and the intraMSLN were excised. RESULTS: The intraMSLN was positive in six patients (micrometastatic in three cases). The axSLNs were negative in all 15 cases. Two patients with positive intraMSLNs and one patient with a negative intraMSLN underwent axillary dissection; all three cases had negative axillary nodes. At a median follow-up of 24 months, no locoregional or systemic recurrences were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Positive intraMSLNs can improve disease staging but do not necessarily portend axillary lymph node metastasis. When intraMSLNs and axSLNs are present, we advocate biopsy of both sites and that management of the axilla should rely on axSLN status. In cases with intraMSLNs as the only draining site on lymphoscintigraphy, decisions on axillary management should be made on individualized basis.

Reoperative sentinel lymph node biopsy: a new frontier in the management of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence.

BACKGROUND: Breast conservation therapy (BCT) with sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is a well-established standard of care for primary operable breast cancer; 5-10% of BCT patients will develop local recurrence (LR). The question then arises: How best to manage the axilla in the setting of LR after previous BCT and SLN biopsy or axillary dissection (ALND)? METHODS: Between 9/96 and 12/04, 117 reoperative SLN were performed for LR after BCT and either SLN biopsy or ALND more than 6 months previously. Because of wide variation in the number of nodes removed at the initial procedure, validation by backup ALND was not feasible in all cases. RESULTS: Reoperative SLN was successful in 64/117 (55%) patients. SLNs were identified by isotope and dye in 28/64 (44%); isotope only in 29/64 (45%); dye only in 4/64 (6%); 3/64 (5%) unknown. Positive reoperative SLN were found in 10/64 (16%) successful cases. Among 54/64 (84%) patients with negative reoperative SLNs, 23 (43%) had additional non-SLN removed concurrently: these were negative in 21/23 cases (91%). In 2/23 (9%), reoperative SLN were falsely negative: one with a positive intramammary node, and the other with a positive non-SLN palpated at surgery. Success of reoperative SLN was inversely related to number of nodes removed previously, and was more likely to be successful after a previous SLN biopsy than a previous ALND (74% vs. 38%, P = 0.0002). Non-axillary drainage was identified by lymphoscintigraphy significantly more often in reoperative SLN than in primary SLN biopsy (30% vs. 6%, P < 0.0001). There were no local or axillary recurrences at a mean follow up of 2.2 years; 6 patients developed systemic recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Reoperative SLN biopsy is feasible in the setting of LR after previous BCT/axillary surgery and deserves further study in this increasingly common clinical scenario. The added benefit of lymphoscintigraphy in identifying sites of non-axillary drainage may be greater in the setting of reoperative SLN than for the initial SLN procedure.