Sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A pilot study.

AIMS: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLN) seems to represent a reliable method for early breast cancer staging, offering an alternative to complete axillary dissection.

METHODS

The identification of sentinel node(s), their localization and the predictive capacity of SLN were analysed in 42 patients who had neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Dextran labelled with (99m)Tc was injected close to the tumor. The radioactive uptake in the axilla was detected by scintigraphic images and by a hand-held probe guided the SLN.

RESULTS

One or more sentinel nodes were identified in 41 patients (97.6%). We could accurately predict axillary lymph nodes status in 93% of the cases.

CONCLUSIONS

SLN can predict the status of the axilla in patients who have received primary chemotherapy.