Phase-Transition Nanodroplets for Real-Time Photoacoustic/Ultrasound Dual-Modality Imaging and Photothermal Therapy of Sentinel Lymph Node in Breast Cancer

Pathological status of lymph nodes (LNs) plays a critical role in staging and treatment for the patients with breast cancer. Sentinel lymph node biopsy has become the standard method in determining pathological status of axillary LNs. Therefore, the determination of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) and therapy of metastatic LNs are highly desirable in clinic. Herein, an unprecedented carbon nanoparticles (CNs)-incorporated liquid-gas phase-transition nanodroplets (CNPs) with strong near-infrared (NIR) absorption, good biocompatibility, excellent photoacoustic (PA) and ultrasound (US) contrast, and high photothermal-conversion efficiency are reported in this study. Upon laser irradiation, liquid-gas phase transition of the CNPs has been demonstrated to provide excellent contrasts for PA/US dual-modality imaging both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, the CNPs are capable of staining lymph nodes, which can contribute significantly to the identification of LNs with naked eyes. With increased laser energy, the CNPs exhibit the high performance in killing the breast cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo, due to the photothermal effect induced from the CNs within CNPs. These results suggest that the developed multifunctional phase-transition nanodroplets have high potential to act as the theranostic agents in both SLNs detection and therapy of metastatic LNs.

Prediction of nonsentinel lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patients with one or two positive sentinel lymph nodes

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between non sentinel lymph node metastasis (NSLNM) and clinicopathological factors, particularly in the case of sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis in one or two, in clinically node negative patients with breast cancer.

METHODS

Between 10/2010 and 10/2014, 350 sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) were performed in patients with histologically proven primary breast cancer in our clinic. The data collection includes the following characteristics: age, pathological tumor size, histological type, histological grade, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), number of positive SLN, size of the SLN metastasis (macrometastasis, micrometastasis, isolated tumor cells), multifocality (MF), extracapsuler invasion (ECI) of the SLN, the estrogen receptor (ER) status, the progesterone receptor (PR) status and the Her 2 receptor status, Ki 67 reseptor status. Data were collected retrospectively and then analyzed.

RESULTS

A successful SLN biopsy were performed in 345 (98.5%) cases. SLN metastases were detected in 110 (31.8%) cases. These patients then underwent axillary dissection; among these patients, 101 (91.8%) had only one to two positive SLNs. Of the 101 patients with positive SLN biopsies, 32 (31.6%) had metastases in the NSLNs. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that lymphovascular invasion, extracapsular invasion (ECI), Her-2 receptor positive, and Ki-67 > 14% were related to NSLNM (p<.0.05).

CONCLUSION

The predicting factors of NSLNM were LVI, ECI, Ki-67 level, Her-2 reseptor positive and but should be further validated in our institutions, different institutions and different patient groups prospectively.

Tumor characteristics influencing non-sentinel lymph node involvement in clinically node negative patients with breast cancer

Purpose

The negative sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy avoids conventional axillary dissection in patients with breast cancer with clinically negative axilla. Despite negative SLN, there is a risk of leaving involved non-SLN behind in the axilla. We investigated the predictive power of tumor characteristics for non-SLN metastasis.

Methods

Lymphatic mapping with blue dye method for SLN biopsy and level 1-2 axillary dissections were performed to establish axillary status in 59 patients with T1 and T2 breast cancer and clinically negative axilla. Tumor's characteristics were histopathologically established to assess their association with non-SLN metastasis.

Results

The axilla was malignant in 23 (39%) patients. The SLN alone was metastatic in 10, both SLN and non-SLN in 9, and non-SLN alone in 4 (7%) patients. The false negative rate for SLN biopsy was 10% in our series. The rate of positive non-SLN was found as 0% in T1a-b, 19% in T1c, and 40% in T2 tumors (p=0.035). Lymphovascular invasion was positive in 14 (61%) patients with axillary metastasis (p<0.001), and in 10 (77%) patients with non-SLN involvement (p<0.001).

Conclusion

We concluded that there was a small risk of involved non-SLN despite negative SLN. Tumor size (near or greater than 2 cm) was significantly associated with non-SLN metastasis. Peritumoral lymphovascular invasion was a positive predictor of the metastatic involvement in non-SLNs.