Video-assisted breast surgery can sample the second and third sentinel nodes to omit axillary node dissection for sentinel-node-positive patients

Endoscopy-assisted surgery for the management of benign breast tumors: technique, learning curve, and patient-reported outcome from preliminary 323 procedures

BACKGROUND

Endoscopy-assisted breast surgery (EABS), a technique that optimizes cosmetic outcome because it is performed through small wounds hidden in inconspicuous areas, could be an alternative surgical technique for benign breast tumors. In this study, we report the preliminary results of 323 EABS procedures performed at our institution for the management of benign breast tumors.

METHODS

The medical records of patients who underwent EABS for benign breast lesions during the periods August 2010 to December 2015 were collected from the Changhua Christian Hospital EABS database. Data on clinicopathologic characteristics, type of surgery, hospital stay, and complications were analyzed to determine the effectiveness of the procedure for benign breast tumors. The operating time with the number of procedure performed was analyzed for learning curve evaluation. Patient satisfaction with cosmetic outcome was evaluated with a self-report questionnaire.

RESULTS

A total of 323 EABS procedures were performed in 286 patients with benign breast lesions, including 249 (90.5%) patients with unilateral lesions. The mean age was 36 years, the mean tumor size was 2.2 cm, and the mean distance from the nipple to the tumor was 5.2 cm. Most (93.8%, 303/323) of these tumors were excised through a transareolar wound, 2.4% (8/323) through an axillary wound, and 0.3% (1/323) through the infra-mammary fold. Histopathologic analysis revealed that 63.5% (202/318) of the tumors were fibroadenoma-related lesions. The mean operative time was 81.4 min (59~89 min), which was decreased with experience increased. The overall rate of complications was 6.5%, and all were minor and wound-related. Among the 110 patients who participated in the self-report cosmetic outcome evaluation, 85.4% reported being satisfied with the cosmetic result, and almost all were satisfied with breast symmetry. Of the patients interviewed, 92.7% reported that they would choose the same procedure if they had to undergo the operation again.

CONCLUSIONS

Our preliminary results show that transareolar video-assisted breast surgery is a safe and effective procedure with good cosmetic outcome and that it could be appropriate for patients with moderate to large peripherally located breast tumors.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

CCH-IRB No.15115. Registered 14 December 2015 (retrospectively registered).

Current Trends in and Indications for Endoscopy-Assisted Breast Surgery for Breast Cancer: Results from a Six-Year Study Conducted by the Taiwan Endoscopic Breast Surgery Cooperative Group

Background

Endoscopy-assisted breast surgery (EABS) performed through minimal axillary and/or periareolar incisions is a possible alternative to open surgery for certain patients with breast cancer. In this study, we report the early results of an EABS program in Taiwan.

Methods

The medical records of patients who underwent EABS for breast cancer during the period May 2009 to December 2014 were collected from the Taiwan Endoscopic Breast Surgery Cooperative Group database. Data on clinicopathologic characteristics, type of surgery, method of breast reconstruction, complications and recurrence were analyzed to determine the effectiveness and oncologic safety of EABS in Taiwan.

Results

A total of 315 EABS procedures were performed in 292 patients with breast cancer, including 23 (7.8%) patients with bilateral disease. The number of breast cancer patients who underwent EABS increased initially from 2009 to 2012 and then stabilized during the period 2012–2014. The most commonly performed EABS was endoscopy-assisted total mastectomy (EATM) (85.4%) followed by endoscopy-assisted partial mastectomy (EAPM) (14.6%). Approximately 74% of the EATM procedures involved breast reconstruction, with the most common types of reconstruction being implant insertion and autologous pedicled TRAM flap surgery. During the six-year study period, there was an increasing trend in the performance of EABS for the management of breast cancer when total mastectomy was indicated. The positive surgical margin rate was 1.9%. Overall, the rate of complications associated with EABS was 15.2% and all were minor and wound-related. During a median follow-up of 26.8 (3.3–68.6) months, there were 3 (1%) cases of local recurrence, 1 (0.3%) case of distant metastasis and 1 (0.3%) death.

Conclusion

The preliminary results from the EABS program in Taiwan show that EABS is a safe procedure and results in acceptable cosmetic outcome. These findings could help to promote this under-used surgical technique in the field of breast cancer.

Breast sentinel lymph node navigation with three-dimensional computed tomography-lymphography: a 12-year study

PURPOSE

To evaluate the utility of three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT)-lymphography (LG) breast sentinel lymph node navigation in our institute.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between 2002 and 2013, we preoperatively identified sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in 576 clinically node-negative breast cancer patients with T1 and T2 breast cancer using 3D CT-LG method. SLN biopsy (SLNB) was performed in 557 of 576 patients using both the images of 3D CT-LG for guidance and the blue dye method.

RESULTS

Using 3D CT-LG, SLNs were visualized in 569 (99%) of 576 patients. Of 569 patients, both lymphatic draining ducts and SLNs from the peritumoral and periareolar areas were visualized in 549 (96%) patients. Only SLNs without lymphatic draining ducts were visualized in 20 patients. Drainage lymphatic pathways visualized with 3D CT-LG (549 cases) were classified into four patterns: single route/single SLN (355 cases, 65%), multiple routes/single SLN (59 cases, 11%) single route/multiple SLNs (62 cases, 11%) and multiple routes/multiple SLNs (73 cases, 13%). SLNs were detected in 556 (99.8%) of 557 patients during SLNB.

CONCLUSION

CT-LG is useful for preoperative visualization of SLNs and breast lymphatic draining routes. This preoperative method should contribute greatly to the easy detection of SLNs during SLNB.

Prevalence and risk factors of intraoperative identification failure of sentinel lymph nodes in patients affected by breast cancer

INTRODUCTION

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has progressively replaced complete axillary lymph node dissection in the evaluation of breast cancer patients with clinically node-negative disease. Our study investigates the rate of and risk factors involved in sentinel node identification failure.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We collected data on SLNBs performed during 2002-2010, focusing on tumor, patient, and breast characteristics, radioactivity parameters, and operators' experience. Data were analyzed by R (v2.14.2), considering significance at P values lower than 0.05.

RESULTS

Among 1050 women who underwent an SLNB, the rate of identification failure was 2% (23/1050), which, on bivariate analysis, was seen to be significantly influenced (P<0.05) by the preoperative and intraoperative low radiotracer uptake (axilla/lesion radiotracer uptake ratio<1%), low level of experience of the specialist in nuclear medicine, luminal A subtype, and radiotracer uptake localization in internal mammary lymph nodes. On multivariate analysis, significant risk factors for sentinel node identification failure were found to be: axilla/lesion radiotracer uptake ratio less than 1%, radiotracer uptake localization in internal mammary lymph nodes, and luminal A subtype. Considering only the preoperative variables in our multivariate analysis, axilla/lesion radiotracer uptake ratio less than 1%, negative lymph node scintiscan, and radiotracer uptake localization in internal mammary lymph nodes had an area under the curve (receiver operating characteristic curve) of 96% (95% confidence interval 92-100%). Further, we built a nomogram based on these simple parameters for counseling the patient about the probability of not finding the sentinel lymph node during the surgical procedure.

CONCLUSION

The relatively low prevalence of SLNB failure (2%) is indicative of the accuracy of the procedure when performed by experienced surgeons. The sentinel node identification failure in our population seemed to be related to biological tumor factors (luminal A subtype) and probably to physiological or pathological variations in the lymphatic drainage (axilla/lesion radiotracer uptake ratio<1% and radiotracer uptake localization in internal mammary lymph nodes).

Videoendoscopic single-port axillary dissection

Videoendoscopy is newly used in breast and axillary surgery. Single-port surgery is one of the newest methods of minimally invasive surgery. This report describes the first case of videoendoscopic single-port axillary dissection. In histopathological evaluation, 24 lymph nodes were identified and one node was infiltrated by the cancer cells. Videoendoscopic single-port axillary dissection is a precise and improvable technique. Single-port videoendoscopic axillary dissection could be more feasible with individual tools that will be designed for minimally invasive breast surgery.