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01-07-2017 | Breast Oncology

Can Clinically Node-Negative Breast Cancer Patients with Suspicious Axillary Lymph Nodes at Ultrasound But Negative Fine-Needle Aspiration Be Approached as Having Node-Negative Disease?

Authors: Yue Liang, MD, Xiaosong Chen, MD, PhD, Weiwei Zhan, MD, David H. Garfield, MD, Jiayi Wu, MD, PhD, Ou Huang, MD, PhD, Yafen Li, MD, Li Zhu, MD, PhD, Weiguo Chen, MD, Kunwei Shen, MD, PhD

Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology | Issue 7/2017

Abstract

Background

Few data exist to elucidate whether patients with a suspicious axillary lymph node (ALN) at ultrasound but a negative fine-needle aspiration result (FNA group) can be managed as having ultrasound node-negative disease (AUN group). This study compared various ALN statuses between the AUN and FNA groups to guide further ALN management.

Methods

Patients who had clinical T1-2N0 breast cancer treated with sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy were retrospectively analyzed. The ALN metastasis status, SLN status, and non-SLN metastasis rates in the entire population and the patients with one or two positive SLNs were compared between the AUN and FNA groups.

Results

A total of 1007 patients (886 AUN and 121 FNA patients) were eligible for the final analysis: The incidence of ALN metastasis did not differ between the AUN group (16.5%) and the FNA group (21.5%) (P = 0.170). In addition, three or more metastases were found in only 2.4% of the AUN patients and 3.3% of the FNA patients (P = 0.405). The non-SLN metastasis rate was 22.6% (33/146) in the AUN group and 19.2% (5/26) in the FNA group (P = 0.699). For the patients with one or two positive SLNs, the rate of non-SLN metastasis was similar between the AUN group (19.6%, 27/138) and the FNA group (12.5%, 3/24) (P = 0.591).

Conclusions

Patients with a suspicious ALN at ultrasound but a negative FNA result had ALN statuses similar to those of the ultrasound node-negative patients, indicating that these patients can be treated as having ultrasound node-negative disease.

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Title: Can Clinically Node-Negative Breast Cancer Patients with Suspicious Axillary Lymph Nodes at Ultrasound But Negative Fine-Needle Aspiration Be Approached as Having Node-Negative Disease?
Authors: Yue Liang, MD
Xiaosong Chen, MD, PhD
Weiwei Zhan, MD
David H. Garfield, MD
Jiayi Wu, MD, PhD
Ou Huang, MD, PhD
Yafen Li, MD
Li Zhu, MD, PhD
Weiguo Chen, MD
Kunwei Shen, MD, PhD
Publication date: 01-07-2017
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology / Issue 7/2017
Print ISSN: 1068-9265
Electronic ISSN: 1534-4681
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-017-5798-2

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Can Clinically Node-Negative Breast Cancer Patients with Suspicious Axillary Lymph Nodes at Ultrasound But Negative Fine-Needle Aspiration Be Approached as Having Node-Negative Disease?

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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