[Sentinel lymph node biopsy. The possibilities for axial staging in early breast cancer and the results in 187 patients].

The authors studied the sentinel lymph node (SLN) identification rate and its accuracy in predicting axillary staging (N- or N+) in patients with early breast cancer. One hundred eighty seven mapping procedures were performed using a vital dye (Patent blue V, Drimaren Brilliant blue or Mitoxantrone) injected at the primary tumour site. The overall rate of identification of SLN was 81.3% (in 152 of 187 patients). The pathological status of the sentinel nodes was compared with that of the remaining axillary nodes. The accuracy of the sentinel biopsy was 89.5% (in 42 of 47 axillary positive patients). In 15 cases with lymph metastases, the SLN was the only site of disease. This experience indicates the sentinel lymphadenectomy should diminish staging morbidity and could improve surgical management of the axilla in women with early breast cancer.