Publication
Title
The predictive value of sentinel node biopsy in early breast cancer after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy : a prospective study
Author
Abstract
Objective: A sentinel Node (SN) has replaced axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in patients with clinically node negative axilla (cNO). SN after Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is feasible but not accurate in clinically node positive (cN1-3) patients. The goal of this study is to determine the negative predictive value (NPV) of SN in cNO breast cancer after NACT. A secondary endpoint is to determine if ALND can be avoided after NACT regardless of the pre-treatment clinical staging of the axilla, in case of a normalization of the F-18-fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography scan (PET-CT scan). Design: A single institution prospective study regarding the negative predictive value of the SN in breast cancer after NACT was conducted in the Multidisciplinary Breast Clinic of the Antwerp University Hospital from 29/03/2010 until 01/12/2015 (Study number: B30020108368). Inclusion criteria for study participation were: breast cancer, age above 18 years, female, tumor stages T2-T4 NO-3 or T1N1-N3. All patients were staged by a mammography, ultrasound of the axilla, MRI of the breast, PET-CT scan and bone scintigraphy. They received NACT consisting of 12 cycles of paclitaxel or 4 cycles of docetaxel followed by dose dense doxorubicin or epirubicin/cyclofosfamide or vice versa as a standard initial treatment. After 6 weeks, a PET-CT scan was performed for early tumour response evaluation. At the day of operation, a (99)mTC-labelled nanocolloid was used to identify the SN. During the surgery the SN were removed separately together with a complete ALND. Results: A total of 150 patients were enrolled in our study of which 129 were eligible for analysis. 53 patients had a positive SN of which 32 have a positive axillary lymph nodes (ALN), positive predictive value (PPV) was 60%; 76 patients had a negative SN of which 6 had a positive ALN (NPV 92%). The sensitivity is 84% and the specificity 76% with a false omission rate (FOR) of 8%. In total 45 patients ALN were clinical negative and no suspect lymph nodes were seen on ultrasound, MRI and PET-CT scan) and 45 patients had negative a SN, with no ALN and 2 patients had a positive SN of which 1 patients had axillary involvement (NPV 100%). The FOR of cN1: 5%, cN2: 37%, cN3 33%. A total of 22 patients out of 84 patients (26%) of which 15/49 cN1 (30%), 6/23 (26%) cN2, 1/12 (8%) have after 6 weeks of chemotherapy and normalization on PET-CT scan. A total of 17 patients had a negative SN and ALN. The FOR was in this group was 0%. Conclusion: A SNB should become the standard after NACT if case of a cNO. If after NACT the PET CT has normalized, no ALND should be performed if the SN is negative. (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier B.V.
Language
English
Source (journal)
European journal of obstetrics and gynecology and reproductive biology. - Amsterdam, 1973, currens
Publication
Amsterdam : Elsevier , 2018
ISSN
0301-2115 [print]
1872-7654 [online]
DOI
10.1016/J.EJOGRB.2018.06.040
Volume/pages
229 (2018) , p. 108-111
ISI
000447557200018
Pubmed ID
30145524
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 09.11.2018
Last edited 02.10.2024
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