Patients with breast cancer and negative sentinel lymph node biopsy without additional axillary lymph node dissection: a follow-up study of up to 5 years.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the rate of axillary recurrences and survival in patients operated on for breast cancer who had not undergone an axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) because of a negative sentinel node biopsy.

METHODS

The study includes 97 patients operated on for breast cancer and selective node biopsy from June 2000 to December 2001 who had a negative sentinel node biopsy and did not undergo ALND. Mean age was 58.2 years (55.9-60.5). Follow-up was done up to 5 years. After surgery all patients underwent clinical examination. Complementary treatment depended on the hospital protocol. Rate of axillary recurrences, presence of distant metastases and survival (Kaplan-Meier method) were studied.

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 4.1 years (2.18-5.25), only 2/95 patients (2.1%) developed distant metastases. Four patients died but only the death of the patient who presented multiple metastases was related to the primary breast cancer (1%). The 5-year overall survival rate was 96%.

CONCLUSIONS

(1) Only 1/95 patients studied developed nodal extra-axillary recurrence together with distant metastases. (2) The results obtained support the selective sentinel node biopsy as an accurate technique in the axillary stratification of patients with breast cancer, offering in the cases of negative sentinel node biopsy a safe axillary control after a 5-year follow-up.