Swedish prospective multicenter trial evaluating sentinel lymph node biopsy after neoadjuvant systemic therapy in clinically node-positive breast cancer

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes as a predictor of axillary and primary tumor pathological response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer: a retrospective cohort study

PURPOSE

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) can predict complete pathological response (pCR) of tumor in the breast but not so well-defined in the axilla after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Since axillary surgery is being increasingly de-escalated after NACT, we aimed to investigate the relationship between TILs and pCR in the axilla and breast, as well as survival amongst NACT patients.

METHODS

Clinicopathological data on patients who underwent NACT between 2013 and 2020 were retrospectively examined. Specifically, pre-TILs (before NACT), post-TILs (after NACT) and ΔTIL (changes in TILs) were assessed. Primary endpoint was pCR and secondary endpoints were breast cancer-free interval (BCFI) and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Two hundred and twenty patients with nodal metastases were included. Overall axillary and breast pCR rates were 42.7% (94/220) and 39.1% (86/220), respectively, whereas the combined pCR rate was 32.7% (72/220). High pre-TILs (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.02-4.05; p = 0.04) predicted axillary pCR whereas, high post-TILs (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.14-0.76; p = 0.009) and increased ΔTILs (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.08-0.79; p = 0.02) predicted non-axillary pCR. TILs were not a significant predictor for BCFI and OS.

CONCLUSIONS

This study supports the potential use of pre-TILs to select initially node-positive patients for axillary surgical de-escalation after NACT.

Comparing Methods for Targeted Axillary Dissection in Breast Cancer Patients: A Nationwide, Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND

Several techniques exist for performing targeted axillary dissection (TAD) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy with the removal of the sentinel node and a marked metastatic lymph node (LN). Two-step methods include coil-marking of the metastatic LN at diagnosis and re-marking with an intraoperatively identifiable marker before surgery. Because nondetection of the marked lymph node (MLN) warrants axillary clearance and many patients achieve axillary pathological complete response (ax-pCR), the success of TAD is crucial. We compare various two-step TAD methods in a Danish national cohort.

METHODS

We included patients who received two-step TAD between January 1, 2016 and August 31, 2021. Patients were identified from the Danish Breast Cancer Group database and cross-checked with locally accessible lists. Data were extracted from the patient's medical files.

RESULTS

We included 543 patients. In 79.4%, preoperative, ultrasound-guided re-marking was possible. Nonidentification of the coil-marked LN was more likely in patients with ax-pCR. The second markers used were hook-wire, iodine seeds, or ink marking on the axillary skin. Of patients with successful secondary marking, the MLN identification rate (IR) was 91%, and the sentinel node (SN) IR was 95%. Marking with iodine seeds was significantly more successful than ink marking with an odds ratio of 5.34 (95% confidence interval 1.62-17.60). The success rate of the complete TAD with the removal of MLN and SN was 82.3%.

CONCLUSIONS

With two-step TAD, nonidentification of the coiled LN before surgery is frequent, especially in patients with ax-pCR. Despite successful remarking, the IR of the MLN at surgery is inferior to one-step TAD.

This house believes that: MARI/TAD is better than sentinel node biopsy after PST for cN+ patients

The increasing use and effectiveness of primary systemic treatment (PST) enables tailored locoregional treatment. About one third of clinically node positive (cN+) breast cancer patients achieve pathologic complete response (pCR) of the axilla, with higher rates observed in Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor (HER)2-positive or triple negative (TN) breast cancer subtypes. Tailoring axillary treatment for patients with axillary pCR is necessary, as they are unlikely to benefit from axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), but may suffer complications and long-term morbidity such as lymphedema and impaired shoulder motion. By combining pre-PST and post-PST axillary staging techniques, ALND can be omitted in most cN + patients with pCR. Different post-PST staging techniques (MARI/TAD/SN) show low or ultra-low false negative rates for detection of residual disease. More importantly, trials using the MARI (Marking Axillary lymph nodes with Radioactive Iodine seeds) procedure or sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) as axillary staging technique post-PST have already shown the safety of tailoring axillary treatment in patients with an excellent response. Tailored axillary treatment using the MARI procedure in stage I-III breast cancer resulted in 80% reduction of ALND and excellent five-year axillary recurrence free interval (aRFI) of 97%. Similar oncologic outcomes were seen for post-SLNB in stage I-II patients. The MARI technique requires only one invasive procedure pre-NST and a median of one node is removed post-PST, whereas for the SLNB and TAD techniques two to four nodes are removed. A disadvantage of the MARI technique is its use of radioactive iodine, which is subject to extensive regulations.

Sentinel Node Biopsy in Patients With Breast Carcinoma Without Axillary Involvement at Diagnosis Receiving Primary Systemic Therapy

BACKGROUND

Primary systemic therapy (PST) has acquired great importance in breast cancer (BC) in the last few years. In this scenario, even if it is accepted to perform SLNB before PST, most of the guidelines remark the advantages of this practice after it, such as avoiding another surgery to the patient, a rapid start of the treatment and no need of axillary dissection in cases of pathologic complete response (pCR). Nevertheless, the lack of knowledge of the initial axillary state and the need to practice axillary dissection with any axillary disease are claimed to be some other disadvantages. There are no randomized studies yet that can conclude the optimal timing of SLNB in PST, so for the moment we may settle for our common practice.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We studied all the cases attended in the Breast Unit that joined the inclusion criteria between 2011 and 2019 in our hospital and we compared the group with SLNB before PST with the group with SLNB after PST in terms of unnecessary axillary dissection and description features.

RESULTS

We included 223 female patients diagnosed with BC and without clinical nor radiological axillary disease (cN0), who had received NAC and SLNB performed before or after it. We observed a higher proportion of high-grade histological tumors (G3), tumors with aggressive phenotypes (Basal like and Her 2 enriched), and younger women in the group of SLNB before NAC compared with the SLNB after NAC group (P < .01). Despite this, we did not find any difference in the number of positive SLNBs or in the number of ALND performed between the 2 groups. We found a higher proportion of ALND with all the lymph node (LN) negatives in the SLNB before NAC group.

CONCLUSION

Taking into account that in the observation period we did not use ACOSOG Z0011 criteria with all the SLNBs, we figure out what would have been the real results nowadays following these criteria. In this scenario we conclude that patients with luminal phenotype seemed to benefit from practicing SLNB before NAC in terms of avoiding axillary dissections. We could not make any conclusion in the rest of the phenotypes. However, prospective studies are needed to confirm if this affirmation could be proved.

Axillary staging in node-positive breast cancer converting to node negativity through neoadjuvant chemotherapy: Current evidence and perspectives

PURPOSE

Over the recent years, axillary staging of initially node-positive breast cancer patients converting to clinical node negativity after neoadjuvant chemotherapy has seen rapid changes. This narrative review aims to give a contemporary overview over published evidence and clinical practice, and thus provide some guidance to the surgical community in the process of re-evaluating and re-shaping surgical practice.

METHODS

The search strategy aimed at finding relevant studies. Only articles in English were considered.

RESULTS

The introduction of modern techniques offer more precise staging surgery and thus hopefully reduced arm morbidity. Clinical practice has however diverged both within countries and internationally. While some countries have adapted de-escalated axillary staging techniques such as targeted axillary dissection, targeted lymph node biopsy or sentinel lymph node biopsy, others continue to recommend a full axillary lymph node dissection. With the implementation of new techniques, many questions arise, regarding aspects of oncological safety, technical performance, budget and practicality, patient selection and indications for different levels of axillary staging procedures.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a growing body of evidence on de-escalation of axillary surgery in the setting of cN+ → ycN0 breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. However, standards differ between countries and future studies are necessary to fully assess the optimal strategy for these patients.

Real de-escalation or escalation in disguise?

The past two decades have seen an unprecedented trend towards de-escalation of surgical therapy in the setting of early BC, the most prominent examples being the reduction of re-excision rates for close surgical margins after breast-conserving surgery and replacing axillary lymph node dissection by less radical procedures such as sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). Numerous studies confirmed that reducing the extent of surgery in the upfront surgery setting does not impact locoregional recurrences and overall outcome. In the setting of primary systemic treatment, there is an increased use of less invasive staging strategies reaching from SLNB and targeted lymph node biopsy (TLNB) to targeted axillary dissection (TAD). Omission of any axillary surgery in the presence of pathological complete response in the breast is currently being investigated in clinical trials. On the other hand, concerns have been raised that surgical de-escalation might induce an escalation of other treatment modalities such as radiation therapy. Since most trials on surgical de-escalation did not include standardized protocols for adjuvant radiotherapy, it remains unclear, whether the effect of surgical de-escalation was valid in itself or if radiotherapy compensated for the decreased surgical extent. Uncertainties in scientific evidence may therefore lead to escalation of radiotherapy in some settings of surgical de-escalation. Further, the increasing rate of mastectomies including contralateral procedures in patients without genetic risk is alarming. Future studies of locoregional treatment strategies need to include an interdisciplinary approach to integrate de-escalation approaches combining surgery and radiotherapy in a way that promotes optimal quality of life and shared decision-making.

The value of sentinel lymph-node biopsy in women with node-positive breast cancer at diagnosis and node-negative tumour after neoadjuvant therapy: a systematic review

PURPOSE

To conduct a systematic review to analyse the performance of the sentinel lymph-node biopsy (SLNB) in women with node-positive breast cancer at diagnosis and node-negative tumour after neoadjuvant therapy, compared to axillary lymph-node dissection.

METHODS

The more relevant databases were searched. Main outcomes were false-negative rate (FNR), sentinel lymph-node identification rate (SLNIR), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy. We conducted meta-analyses when appropriate.

RESULTS

Twenty studies were included. The pooled FNR was 0.14 (95% CI 0.11-0.17), the pooled SLNIR was 0.89 (95% CI 0.86-0.92), NPV was 0.83 (95% CI 0.79-0.87), and summary accuracy was 0.92 (95% CI 0.90-0.94). SLNB performed better when more than one node was removed and double mapping was used.

CONCLUSIONS

SLNB can be performed in women with a node-negative tumour after neoadjuvant therapy. It has a better performance when used with previous marking of the affected node and with double tracer.

Surgical Management of the Axilla for Breast Cancer

This review discusses the contemporary surgical management of the axilla in patients with breast cancer. Surgical paradigms are highlighted by clinical nodal status at presentation and treatment approach, including upfront surgery and neoadjuvant systemic therapy settings. This review focuses on the increasing opportunities for de-escalating the extent of axillary surgery in the era of sentinel lymph node biopsy, while also reviewing the remaining indications for axillary clearance with axillary lymph node dissection.

Prospective Evaluation of Radar-Localized Reflector-Directed Targeted Axillary Dissection in Node-Positive Breast Cancer Patients after Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy

BACKGROUND

This is a prospective, single-institution study to evaluate feasibility and accuracy of radar-localized reflector (RLR)-targeted axillary dissection (TAD) in node-positive breast cancer patients after neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST).

METHODS

Patients with biopsy-proven T1-2, N1-3 disease were eligible. Before NST, a marker clip and/or RLR was placed into the positive node. After NST, RLR was inserted if not placed previously. All patients underwent RLR TAD followed by axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Primary end points of the trial were feasibility of RLR TAD and false negative rate (FNR).

RESULTS

Between 2017 and 2021, 101 patients with N1-3 disease underwent NST. Five patients withdrew from the study, 1 was ineligible, and there were 9 technical failures, thus our final study cohort comprised 86 patients. RLR TAD was performed with probe guidance and confirmed with intraoperative specimen radiograph. After RLR TAD, ALND was performed. Median number of RLR TAD nodes removed was 2 (range 1-10), and the RLR TAD nodes remained positive in 56 patients. Median number of ALND nodes removed was 18 (range 4-46). Accounting for 9 technical failures, feasibility was 90%. All technical failures occurred with attempted placement of RLR after NST. Feasibility rate was 100% when RLR placement occurred at diagnosis. Of the evaluable 86 patients, RLR TAD accurately predicted axillary status in 83 patients, with FNR of 5.1%.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrate high accuracy of RLR TAD, especially when RLR is placed before NST. For patients who present with N1-3 disease, this is another step towards axillary surgery de-escalation strategies.

Outcomes of Sentinel Node Biopsy for Women with Breast Cancer After Neoadjuvant Therapy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Real-World Data

BACKGROUND

Evidence on the accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) after neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) for patients with breast cancer is inconclusive. This study reviewed the real-world data to determine the acceptability of SLNB after NAT.

METHODS

The study searched for articles in the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases. The primary outcomes were the identification rate for sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) and the false-negative rate (FNR) for SLNB. The study also evaluated the FNR in subgroups defined by tumor stage, nodal stage, hormone receptor status, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 status, tumor response, mapping technique, and number of SLNs removed.

RESULTS

The study retrieved 61 prospective and 18 retrospective studies with 10,680 initially cN± patients. The pooled estimate of the identification rate was 0.906 (95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.891-0.922), and the pooled FNR was 0.118 (95 % CI, 0.103-0.133). In subgroup analysis, the FNR was significantly higher for the patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-negative status and fewer than three SLNs removed. The FNR did not differ significantly between the patients with and those without complete tumor response. Among the patients with initial clinical negative axillary lymph nodes, the incidence of node metastasis was 26.8 % (275/1041) after NAT.

CONCLUSION

Real-world evidence indicates that the FNR of SLNB after NAT in breast cancer is 11.8 %, exceeding only slightly the commonly adopted threshold of 10 %. The FNR is significantly higher for patients with ER-negative status and removal of fewer than three SLNs. Using a dual tracer and removing at least three SLNs may increase the accuracy of SLNB after NAT.

Development of a novel nomogram-based online tool to predict axillary status after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in cN+ breast cancer: A multicentre study on 1,950 patients

BACKGROUND

Type of axillary surgery in breast cancer (BC) patients who convert from cN + to ycN0 after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is still debated. The aim of the present study was to develop and validate a preoperative predictive nomogram to select those patients with a low risk of residual axillary disease after NAC, in whom axillary surgery could be minimized.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

1950 clinically node-positive BC patients from 11 Breast Units, treated by NAC and subsequent surgery, were included from 2005 to 2020. Patients were divided in two groups: those who achieved nodal pCR vs. those with residual nodal disease after NAC. The cohort was divided into training and validation set with a geographic separation criterion. The outcome was to identify independent predictors of axillary pathologic complete response (pCR).

RESULTS

Independent predictive factors associated to nodal pCR were axillary clinical complete response (cCR) after NAC (OR 3.11, p < 0.0001), ER-/HER2+ (OR 3.26, p < 0.0001) or ER+/HER2+ (OR 2.26, p = 0.0002) or ER-/HER2- (OR 1.89, p = 0.009) BC, breast cCR (OR 2.48, p < 0.0001), Ki67 > 14% (OR 0.52, p = 0.0005), and tumor grading G2 (OR 0.35, p = 0.002) or G3 (OR 0.29, p = 0.0003). The nomogram showed a sensitivity of 71% and a specificity of 73% (AUC 0.77, 95%CI 0.75-0.80). After external validation the accuracy of the nomogram was confirmed.

CONCLUSION

The accuracy makes this freely-available, nomogram-based online tool useful to predict nodal pCR after NAC, translating the concept of tailored axillary surgery also in this setting of patients.

Feasibility and reliability of sentinel lymph node biopsy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients with positive axillary nodes at initial diagnosis: An up-to date meta-analysis of 3,578 patients

Purpose

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is increasingly adopted in the therapy of breast cancer (BC) patients with positive axillary nodes (cN+), but the reliability and feasibility of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) following NACT are still controversial. The objective of the present study is to conduct an updated meta-analysis on this issue.

Methods

A literature search was performed using PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Web of Science to identify papers published from January 1, 2000 to October 22, 2020 to research SLNB after NACT in BC patients. Studies that met the quality standard were enrolled for this meta-analysis.

Results

A total of 3578 participants from 27 trials were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled estimate of the identification rate (IR) for SLNB was 91 %, and the false negative rate (FNR) was 15 %. The pooled negative prediction value (NPV), accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity were 82 %, 89 %, 97 %, and 85 %, respectively. In subgroup analysis, the application of dual mapping could clearly decrease the FNR. The FNR was significantly high in the luminal types, and it declined as more sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) were removed.

Conclusion

SLNB following NACT is now technically feasible for BC with cN+. However, it must be emphasized that the FNR is unacceptable high.

•

We performed a meta-analysis to provide a consensus regarding the application of SLNB post-NACT in cN + patients.

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One comprehensive database search yielded 27 studies (3578 patients).

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The pooled estimate of IR for SLNB was 91 %, and FNR was 15 %.

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The application of dual mapping could clearly decrease the FNR.

Management of the Axilla in Early-Stage Breast Cancer: Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) and ASCO Guideline

PURPOSE

To provide recommendations on the best strategies for the management and on the best timing and treatment (surgical and radiotherapeutic) of the axilla for patients with early-stage breast cancer.

METHODS

Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) and ASCO convened a Working Group and Expert Panel to develop evidence-based recommendations informed by a systematic review of the literature.

RESULTS

This guideline endorsed two recommendations of the ASCO 2017 guideline for the use of sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with early-stage breast cancer and expanded on that guideline with recommendations for radiotherapy interventions, timing of staging after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), and mapping modalities. Overall, the ASCO 2017 guideline, seven high-quality systematic reviews, 54 unique studies, and 65 corollary trials formed the evidentiary basis of this guideline.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations are issued for each of the objectives of this guideline: (1) To determine which patients with early-stage breast cancer require axillary staging, (2) to determine whether any further axillary treatment is indicated for women with early-stage breast cancer who did not receive NAC and are sentinel lymph node-negative at diagnosis, (3) to determine which axillary strategy is indicated for women with early-stage breast cancer who did not receive NAC and are pathologically sentinel lymph node-positive at diagnosis (after a clinically node-negative presentation), (4) to determine what axillary treatment is indicated and what the best timing of axillary treatment for women with early-stage breast cancer is when NAC is used, and (5) to determine which are the best methods for identifying sentinel nodes.Additional information is available at www.asco.org/breast-cancer-guidelines.

Breast and axillary surgery in malignant breast disease: a review focused on literature of 2018 and 2019

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

There have been fundamental changes in the surgical approach to breast cancer management over the last decades. The primary objective of achieving locoregional control, however, remains unchanged.

RECENT FINDINGS

In addition to strategies optimizing systemic treatment and radiotherapy, current discussions focus on improving the surgical approach to breast cancer. Especially in view of the increasingly pivotal role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy NAT/NAC (NACT), gauging the extent of tissue removal in the breast and the width of resection margins in breast-conserving surgery is highly important, as is the extent of axillary surgery. Although sentinel lymph node (SLN)-positive patients always underwent axillary lymph node dissection in the past, this paradigm has been challenged in recent years. Targeted axillary dissection (TAD) has emerged as a new staging option in biopsy-proven node-positive patients who convert to clinical node negativity (cN0) after NACT. TAD combines the removal of the SLN and of the target lymph node marked prior to NACT. The accuracy of axillary staging both before and after NACT plays an important role for prognostication and multidisciplinary treatment plans, while its extent has significant effects on patients' arm morbidity and quality of life.

SUMMARY

The current review focuses on recent evidence regarding surgical management of the breast and axilla in patients with primary breast cancer based on a PubMed and EMBASE literature search for publication years 2018 and 2019.

Long-term prognosis in breast cancer is associated with residual disease after neoadjuvant systemic therapy but not with initial nodal status

BACKGROUND

This follow-up analysis of a Swedish prospective multicentre trial had the primary aim to determine invasive disease-free (IDFS), breast cancer-specific (BCSS) and overall survival (OS) rates, and their association with axillary staging results before and after neoadjuvant systemic therapy for breast cancer.

METHODS

Women who underwent neoadjuvant systemic therapy for clinically node-positive (cN+) or -negative (cN0) primary breast cancer between 2010 and 2015 were included. Patients had a sentinel lymph node biopsy before and/or after neoadjuvant systemic therapy, and all underwent completion axillary lymph node dissection. Follow-up was until February 2019. The main outcome measures were IDFS, BCSS and OS. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to identify independent factors associated with survival.

RESULTS

The study included a total of 417 women. Median follow-up was 48 (range 7-114) months. Nodal status after neoadjuvant systemic therapy, but not before, was significantly associated with crude survival: residual nodal disease (ypN+) resulted in a significantly shorter 5-year OS compared with a complete nodal response (ypN0) (83·3 versus 91·0 per cent; P = 0·017). The agreement between breast (ypT) and nodal (ypN) status after neoadjuvant systemic therapy was high, and more so in patients with cN0 tumours (64 of 66, 97 per cent) than those with cN+ disease (49 of 60, 82 per cent) (P = 0·005). In multivariable analysis, ypN0 (hazard ratio 0·41, 95 per cent c.i. 0·22 to 0·74; P = 0·003) and local radiotherapy (hazard ratio 0·23, 0·08 to 0·64; P = 0·005) were associated with improved IDFS, and triple-negative molecular subtype with worse IDFS.

CONCLUSION

The present findings underline the prognostic significance of nodal status after neoadjuvant systemic therapy. This confirms the clinical value of surgical axillary staging after neoadjuvant systemic therapy.

Assessment of axillary node status by ultrasound after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer according to breast cancer subtype

The use of sentinel node biopsy (SNB) following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for patients with cN1 breast cancer is controversial. Improvements of negative predictive value (NPV) by axillary ultrasound (AUS), which corresponds to the accurate prediction rate of node-negative status after NAC, would lead to decreased FNR of SNB following NAC. In this study, we retrospectively investigated the accurate prediction rate of NPV by AUS after NAC in patients with cytologically node-positive breast cancer treated between January 2012 and December 2016. Of 279 eligible patients, the NPV was 49.2% in all patients, but varied significantly by tumor subtype (p < 0.001) and tumor response determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (p = 0.0003). Of the 23 patients with clinically node negative (ycN0) by AUS and clinical complete response in primary lesion by MRI, the NPV was 100% in patients with HR±/HER2+ or HR-/HER2- breast cancer. In conclusion, regarding FNR reduction post-NAC, it will be of clinical value to take tumor subtype and primary tumor response using MRI into account to identify patients for SNB after NAC.

Practical consensus recommendations for tumor margins and breast conservative surgery

My suggestion: There is no difference in survival of breast cancer patients treated with either mastectomy or with breast conservation therapy combined with external beam radiotherapy. A positive margin (s) is an important factor contributing to the increased risk of local recurrence. However, in published literature, there is a lack of consensus on the definition of acceptable margin (s). As a result decision process about need for re-excision after positive margins remains uncrear.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Different Surgical Procedures for Axillary Staging After Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy in Node-positive Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Objective:

The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the accuracy of different surgical axillary staging procedures compared with ALND.

Summary of Background Data:

Optimal axillary staging after neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST) in node-positive breast cancer is an area of controversy. Several less invasive procedures, such as sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), marking axillary lymph node with radioactive iodine seed (MARI), and targeted axillary dissection (a combination of SLNB and a MARI-like procedure), have been proposed to replace the conventional axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) with its concomitant morbidity.

Methods:

PubMed and Embase were searched for studies comparing less invasive surgical axillary staging procedures to ALND to identify axillary burden after NST in patients with pathologically confirmed node-positive breast cancer (cN+). A meta-analysis was performed to compare identification rate (IFR), false-negative rate (FNR), and negative predictive value (NPV).

Results:

Of 1132 records, 20 unique studies with 2217 patients were included in quantitative analysis: 17 studies on SLNB, 1 study on MARI, and 2 studies on a combination procedure. Overall axillary pathologic complete response rate was 37%. For SLNB, pooled rates of IFR and FNR were 89% and 17%. NPV ranged from 57% to 86%. For MARI, IFR was 97%, FNR 7%, and NPV 83%. For the combination procedure, IFR was 100%, FNR ranged from 2% to 4%, and NPV from 92% to 97%.

Conclusion:

Axillary staging by a combination procedure consisting of SLNB with excision of a pre-NST marked positive lymph node appears to be most accurate for axillary staging after NST. More evidence from prospective multicenter trials is needed to confirm this.

Combined procedure of marking axillary positive node with iodine-125 seed and sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy

OBJECTIVE

To present our initial experience in the combined procedure of intraoperative detection of axillary positive node marked with ¹²⁵I seed (ML) and sentinel node biopsy (SLN) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), in breast cancer patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Prospective study, January 2017 - March 2019, 16 breast cancer patients T1-3N1. TNM stage: IIA: 3, IIB: 10, IIIA: 3. Histological type ductal invasive: 14. Molecular subtype: luminal A: 3, luminal B: 9, HER2: 3, basal like: 1. The ML was marked 227±36 days before neoadjuvant chemotherapy (n: 10), or 1-6 days before surgery, on previously identified node by ultrasound visibility marker, hydrogel (n: 3) or three dimensional-3D (n: 3). Axillary lymphadenectomy was undertaken in 10 patients.

RESULTS

ML and SLN were identified in the surgery in 93.7% (15/16) of the cases, in 33.3% (5/15) ML was not among SLN, and in only one patient (1/5) was there a discrepancy between the result of ML and SLN (macrometastases vs. negative 0/2). Median number of lymph nodes SLN: 2.2±0.9 (range 1-3) and AD: 13.5±5.2 (range 7-23). In all cases, histopathological analysis of ML, ¹²⁵I seed and/or marker within, correctly predicted axillary status after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In all patients the ¹²⁵I radioactive seed was recovered.

CONCLUSIONS

Placing of ¹²⁵I seeds is a feasible technique for intraoperative location of axillary positive node combined with SLN. The histopathological result of ML allows the axillary status to be determined after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Meta-analysis of sentinel lymph node biopsy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with initial biopsy-proven node-positive breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer has the potential to achieve a pathological complete response in up to 40 per cent of patients, converting disease that was initially node-positive to node-negative. This has raised the question of whether sentinel lymph node biopsy could be an alternative to axillary lymph node dissection in these patients. The aim was to undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of the accuracy and reliability of sentinel lymph node biopsy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with initial biopsy-proven node-positive breast cancer.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science databases up to 30 April 2017. Inclusion criteria for studies were pathological confirmation of initial node-positive disease, and sentinel lymph node biopsy performed after neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by axillary lymph node dissection.

RESULTS

A total of 13 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis (1921 patients in total). The pooled estimate of identification rate was 90 (95 per cent c.i. 87 to 93) per cent and the false-negative rate was 14 (11 to 17) per cent. In subgroup analysis, the false-negative rate with use of dual mapping was 11 (6 to 15) per cent, compared with 19 (11 to 27) per cent with single mapping. The false-negative rate was 20 (13 to 27) per cent when one node was removed, 12 (5 to 19) per cent with two nodes removed and 4 (0 to 9) per cent with removal of three or more nodes.

CONCLUSION

Sentinel lymph node biopsy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with biopsy-proven node-positive breast cancer is accurate and reliable, but requires careful patient selection and optimal surgical techniques.

Current Status and Future Perspectives of Axillary Management in the Neoadjuvant Setting

Axillary surgery has undergone considerable changes in recent years, especially in relation to patients who undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Due to constantly decreasing rates of recurrence and death from breast cancer, modern surgical strategies aim at de-escalating the extent of local treatment and avoiding unnecessary procedures. This relates especially to lymph node surgery which is associated with considerable morbidity. In patients who initially present with clinically node-negative disease, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is increasingly performed after NACT. The determination of the post-NACT nodal status does not only spare patients from additional surgery but also allows the assessment of pathologic complete response which is increasingly becoming an important tool for treatment planning. Since more than 70% of these patients have a ypN0 status after NACT, future trials will aim to identify patients who might be spared any axillary surgery after NACT. In patients who initially present with positive lymph nodes, the success rates of SLNB in terms of detection and accuracy are less favorable compared to those in patients who undergo primary surgery. The clinical significance of this is unclear. To reduce unnecessary axillary dissection in patients with cN1ycN0 status, prospective outcome data after SLNB without further lymph node removal are urgently needed. Improvements in surgical technique by localizing positive nodes at the time of diagnosis and removing them in a targeted surgical procedure (targeted axillary dissection) are under evaluation. Risk assessment and patient selection (including gene expression profiles) might be other ways of safely omitting axillary dissection.

Is Low-Volume Disease in the Sentinel Node After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy an Indication for Axillary Dissection?

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

Intraoperative evaluation of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has a higher false-negative rate than in the primary surgical setting, particularly for small tumor deposits. Additional tumor burden seen with isolated tumor cells (ITCs) and micrometastases following primary surgery is low; however, it is unknown whether the same is true after NAC. We examined the false-negative rate of intraoperative frozen section (FS) after NAC, and the association between SLN metastasis size and residual disease at axillary lymph node dissection (ALND).

METHODS

Patients undergoing SLN biopsy after NAC were identified. The association between SLN metastasis size and residual axillary disease was examined.

RESULTS

From July 2008 to July 2017, 702 patients (711 cancers) had SLN biopsy after NAC. On FS, 181 had metastases, 530 were negative; 33 negative cases were positive on final pathology (false-negative rate 6.2%). Among patients with a positive FS, 3 (2%) had ITCs and no further disease on ALND; 41 (23%) had micrometastases and 125 (69%) had macrometastases. Fifty-nine percent of patients with micrometastases and 63% with macrometastases had one or more additional positive nodes at ALND. Among those with a false-negative result, 10 (30%) had ITCs, 15 (46%) had micrometastases, and 8 (24%) had macrometastases; 17 had ALND and 59% had one or more additional positive lymph nodes. Overall, 1/6 (17%) patients with ITCs and 28/44 (64%) patients with micrometastases had additional nodal metastases at ALND.

CONCLUSION

Low-volume SLN disease after NAC is not an indicator of a low risk of additional positive axillary nodes and remains an indication for ALND, even when not detected on intraoperative FS.

Evaluation of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy and Axillary Lymph Node Dissection for Breast Cancer Treatment Concepts - a Retrospective Study of 1,214 Breast Cancer Patients

Background

Most breast cancer patients require lumpectomy with axillary sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). The ACOSOG Z0011-trial failed to detect significant effects of ALND on disease-free and overall survival among patients with limited sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastases. Intense dose-dense chemotherapy and supraclavicular fossa radiation (SFR) are indicated for patients with extensive axillary metastases. In this multicentered study, we investigated the relevance of ALND after positive SLNB to determine adequate adjuvant therapy.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed data from 1,214 patients with clinically nodal negative T1-T2 invasive breast cancer undergoing surgery at Hanau City Hospital Breast cancer center.

Results

681 patients underwent ALND after SLNB. 20 patients (8.5%) from the group with 1 or 2 SLN metastases (n = 236) showed more than 3 lymph node metastases after ALND. 13 patients (31.7%) from the group with more than 2 SLN metastases (n = 41) were diagnosed with a minimum of 4 axillary lymph node metastases after ALND.

Conclusions

In 8.5% of the patients with 1 or 2 SLN metastases, ALND detected more than 3 macrometastases, setting the indication for intense dose-dense chemotherapy and SFR. More than 2 SLN metastases, T stage and grading predict lymph node metastases.