Axillary lymph node dissection: Dead or still alive?

A novel nomogram and survival analysis for different lymph node status in breast cancer based on the SEER database

INTRODUCTION

The axillary lymph node status (ALNS) and internal mammary lymph nodes (IMLN) expression associated with breast cancer are closely linked to prognosis. This study aimed to establish a nomogram to predict survival at 3, 5, and 10 years in patients with various lymph node statuses.

METHODS

We obtained data from patients with breast cancer between 2004 and 2015 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER database). Chi-square analysis was performed to test for differences in the pathological characteristics of the groups, and Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test were used to plot and compare the correlation between overall survival (OS) and breast cancer specific survival (BCSS). The log-rank test was used for the univariate analysis, and statistically significant characteristics were included in the multivariate and Cox regression analyses. Finally, Independent factor identification was included in constructing the nomogram using R studio 4.2.0; area under curve (AUC) values were calculated, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration, and decision curve analysis (DCA) curves were plotted for evaluation.

RESULTS

A total of 279,078 patients were enrolled and analysed, demonstrating that the isolated tumour cells (ITC) group had clinicopathological characteristics similar to those of micrometastases (Mic). Multivariate analysis was performed to identify each subgroup's independent risk factors and construct a nomogram. The AUC values were 74.7 (95% CI 73.6-75.8), 72.8 (95% CI 71.9-73.8), and 71.2 (95% CI 70.2-72.2) for 3-, 5-, and 10-year OS, respectively, and 82.2 (95% CI 80.9-83.6), 80.1 (95% CI 79.0-81.2), and 75.5 (95% CI 74.3-76.8) for BCSS in overall breast cancer cases, respectively. AUC values for 3-, 5-, and 10-year OS in the ITC group were 64.8 (95% CI 56.5-73.2), 67.7 (95% CI 62.0-73.4), and 65.4 (95% CI 60.0-70.7), respectively. For those in the Mic group, AUC values for 3-, 5-, and 10-year OS were 72.9 (95% CI 70.7-75.1), 72.4 (95% CI 70.6-74.1), and 71.3 (95% CI 69.6-73.1), respectively, and AUC values for BCSS were 77.8 (95% CI 74.9-80.7), 75.7 (95% CI 73.5-77.9), and 70.3 (95% CI 68.0-72.6), respectively. In the IMLN group, AUC values for 3-, 5-, and 10-year OS were 75.2 (95% CI 71.7-78.7), 73.4 (95% CI 70.0-76.8), and 74.0 (95% CI 69.6-78.5), respectively, and AUC values for BCSS were 76.6 (95% CI 73.0-80.3), 74.1 (95% CI 70.5-77.7), and 74.7 (95% CI 69.8-79.5), respectively. The ROC, calibration, and DCA curves verified that the nomogram had better predictability and benefits.

CONCLUSION

This study is the first to investigate the predictive value of different axillary lymph node statuses and internal mammary lymph node metastases in breast cancer, providing clinicians with additional aid in treatment decisions.

Management of the Axilla After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Can Axillary Needle Biopsy Replace Sentinel Node Biopsy?

BACKGROUND/AIM

The aim of the study was to investigate whether it is possible to evaluate the axilla after treatment without performing sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in breast cancer patients with biopsy-proven axillary lymph node metastases who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This prospective, randomized, clinically designed study included patients with clinical T1-3 and biopsy-proven N1 breast cancer. Prior to the surgery scheduled after NAC, the patients were randomized into two groups. A biopsy sample was obtained from the clipped axillary lymph node, which was preoperatively known to be metastatic, using fine needle aspiration (FNAB) in the first group and core needle biopsy (CNB) in the second group. The predictive ability of the two biopsy methods for the SLNB results was evaluated.

RESULTS

The study included 50 female patients with breast cancer, with a mean age of 48.4±10.72 years. In both groups, metastasis was detected in nine patients, and no metastasis was seen in 14 patients. In intergroup comparisons, all patients with metastasis in the FNAB group also had metastasis according to SLNB, while 21.4% of the cases without metastasis in this group were metastatic according to SLNB. In the CNB group, metastasis was observed in all patients with metastasis according to SLNB, while no metastasis was detected in those who were reported to have no metastasis by SLNB. The accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity values for the prediction of SLNB results were all found to be 100% for CNB, whereas they were 87%, 100%, and 75%, respectively, for FNAB.

CONCLUSION

Both CNB and FNAB could potentially replace SLNB due to their high accuracy rates in evaluating the axilla after NAC. The sensitivity and accuracy of CNB were determined to be higher.

Is Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy a Viable Alternative to Axillary Lymph Node Dissection in Breast Carcinoma Patients Who Have Received Neo-Adjuvant Chemotherapy?

Background Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is based on the hypothesis that lymph from a primary solid neoplasm drains into one or more sentinel nodes, which are the first nodes at risk for harbouring occult metastatic disease. Sentinel lymph node biopsy has replaced axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) as the standard method for axillary staging in clinically node-negative patients. It avoids the complications associated with ALND and allows assessment of nodal status in patients with clinically node-negative breast cancer. Aims and objectives The aim of this study is to determine the false negative rate and identification rate of SLNB in breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Materials and methods We conducted a hospital-based prospective study that included 19 patients who presented with early breast cancer and were node-positive. Post NACT, intraoperatively, methylene blue and radiocolloid dye were injected in the subareolar region. During the surgery, the blue and hot nodes identified were dissected, sent for frozen section analysis, and subsequently submitted for histopathological evaluation. This was followed by a standard-level I/II/III axillary clearance with histopathological examination. Results The false-negative rate of SLNB is 25%. Sentinel lymph node biopsy was more accurate with stage II than stage III tumours, and in patients who downstaged from stage II to any stage following NACT, it was more accurate than downstaging from stage III. The average number of sentinel nodes identified was 1.9, with the maximum being seven and the minimum being one. A total of 25 sentinel lymph nodes were identified in 13 patients, with an identification rate of 68.42%. Conclusions The main clinicopathological factors that influence the false negative rate of SLNB after NACT are axillary lymph node status, stage of the tumour at presentation, and tumour downstaging. For patients for whom sentinel nodes cannot be harvested, ALND should be done.

Conservative Axillary Surgery May Prevent Arm Lymphedema without Increasing Axillary Recurrence in the Surgical Management of Breast Cancer

Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) has been associated with postoperative morbidities, including arm lymphedema, shoulder dysfunction, and paresthesia. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy emerged as a method to assess axillary nodal status and possibly obviate the need for ALND in patients with clinically node-negative (cN0) breast cancer. The majority of breast cancer patients are eligible for SLN biopsy only, so ALND can be avoided. However, there are subsets of patients in whom ALND cannot be eliminated. ALND is still needed in patients with three or more positive SLNs or those with gross extranodal or matted nodal disease. Moreover, ALND has conventionally been performed to establish local control in clinically node-positive (cN+) patients with a heavy axillary tumor burden. The sole method to avoid ALND is through neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Recently, various forms of conservative axillary surgery have been developed in order to minimize arm lymphedema without increasing axillary recurrence. In the era of effective multimodality therapy, conventional ALND may not be necessary in either cN0 or cN+ patients. Further studies with a longer follow-up period are needed to determine the safety of conservative axillary surgery.

Axillary Reverse Mapping in Clinically Node-Positive Breast Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND

Axillary reverse mapping (ARM) nodes are involved in a significant proportion of clinically node-positive (cN+) breast cancer patients. However, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is effective at decreasing the incidence of nodal metastases in cN+ patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred forty-five cN+ patients with confirmed nodal involvement on ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology were enrolled in this study: one group underwent axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) without NAC (upfront surgery group), and the other group underwent ALND following NAC (NAC group). The patients underwent 18F-FDG-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT) before surgery, as well as an ARM procedure during ALND.

RESULTS

the rates of involvement of ARM nodes in the NAC group were significantly lower than those of the upfront surgery group (36.6% vs. 62.2%, p < 0.01). Notably, involvement was significantly decreased after NAC in non-luminal-type tumors as compared to the luminal-type (18.4% vs. 48.5%: p < 0.01). Moreover, there was a significant difference in ARM node involvement after NAC between patients with or without axillary uptake of 18F-FDG (61.5% vs. 32.5%: p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

NAC significantly decreased the risk of ARM node metastases in cN+ patients, but 18F-FDG-PET/CT was not suitable to detect residual metastatic disease of the axilla after NAC.