Tommaso Berardi

A Further Validation of Subareolar Injection Technique for Breast Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

BackgroundIn this study we performed subdermal injection of 99mTc-labeled albumin combined with subareolar (SA) injection of blue dye, and we compared this technique with two techniques previously used in terms of the success of sentinel lymph node (SLN) identification, false-negative (FN) rate, and the overall accuracy and sensitivity of the three procedures. In all patients we performed a complete axillary lymph node dissection.MethodsFrom January 1999 to September 2004, a total of 195 patients with localized breast cancer were treated. Patients were subdivided into three groups. In patients in group 1 (n = 115; January 1999 to December 2001), lymphoscintigraphy together with injection of vital dye was performed; in group 2 (n = 40; January to October 2002), SA injection of blue dye alone was performed; and in group 3 (n = 40; November 2002 to September 2004), SA injection of blue dye and subdermal injection of radioisotope was performed.ResultsThe success rate of identifying an SLN by a combination of the two techniques was 95% in group 1 and 100% in group 3. The FN rate was 9% in group 1 and 0% in groups 2 and 3. The overall accuracy of lymphatic mapping was 97% in group 1 and 100% in groups 2 and 3. Sensitivity was 91% in group 1 and 100% in groups 2 and 3.ConclusionsThis study of SA injection for SLN biopsy using dual tracers demonstrates a high SLN identification rate and an absent FN rate. We propose that injection into the SA plexus is the optimal way to perform lymphatic mapping of the breast. This technique seems to be feasible even in patients with multicentric cancers.

Sentinel lymph node micrometastasis and risk of non-sentinel lymph node metastasis: validation of two breast cancer nomograms.

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study is to validate the predictive value of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) nomogram and the Tenon score system in our sentinel lymph node (SLN)-positive series, and to define their actual usefulness when applied to the subgroup of patients with micrometastasis in SLN. PATIENTS AND METHODS The study population consisted of 95 patients: 68 with macrometastasis and 27 with micrometastasis in the SLN. The predicted probability of non-SLN metastasis was calculated for each patient by using a computerized model from the MSKCC Web site. Furthermore, we have applied the Tenon score to our dataset. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn and the areas under the curve (AUCs) were calculated to assess the discriminative power of the nomograms. The ROCs and relative AUCs were calculated both for all the patients in the study and for 2 subgroups. RESULTS The AUC for the entire study population was 0.720 in MSKCC nomogram: and 0.754 in Tenon nomogram. In 68 patients with macrometastasis in SLN, the AUC was 0.760 in MSKCC nomogram and 0.707 in Tenon score. Micrometastasis in SLN were found in 27 patients: AUC was 0.595 in MSKCC nomogram and 0.734 in Tenon score. CONCLUSION In our results the MSKCC nomogram did not provide a reliable predictive model for identifying patients with low risk of non-SLN metastasis in the event of micrometastasis in SLN. Our validation study shows that the Tenon score is more accurate and useful in patients with micrometastasis in SLN.

Comparison of two models for predicting non-sentinel lymph node metastases in sentinel lymph node-positive breast cancer patients

Several models for the prediction of non-sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis in SLN-positive breast cancer patients have been proposed. In this study, the authors evaluate the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) nomogram and an axilla scoring system from Tenon Hospital to predict the probability of having non-(SLN) involvement and to define their actual usefulness when applied to the subgroup of patients with micrometastasis in SLN. The study population consisted of 103 patients: 74 with macrometastasis and 29 with micrometastasis in the SLN. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn and the area under the curves (AUCs) was calculated to assess the discriminative power of the nomograms. Both the ROCs and relative AUCs were calculated for all the patients in the study and for the two subgroups. The AUC for the entire study population was 0.712 in the MSKCC nomogram and 0.759 in the Tenon score. In 74 patients with macrometastasis in SLN, the AUC was 0.760 in MSKCC nomogram and 0.707 in Tenon score. Micrometastasis in SLN was found in t29 patients: AUC was 0.577 in the MSKCC nomogram and 0.738 in the Tenon score. Several institutions have tested the MSKCC nomogram, with AUC ranging from 0.58 to 0.84. It was not validated by four studies, which did not recommend its use in patients with micrometastasis. In our results, the validation of the Tenon score confirmed its relevance even in patients with micrometastasis in SLN.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with pure and high-risk ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast.

Aims and Background The role of sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients initially diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ resides in determining the predictors of invasive disease. The aim of the present study was to examine the incidence of sentinel lymph node metastases in a selected group of patients, with characteristics of high-risk ductal carcinoma in situ, in order to determine the clinical usefulness of sentinel lymph node biopsy. Methods A total of 90 patients with a biopsy diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ were treated. Fifty-two patients with high-risk ductal carcinoma in situ had sentinel lymph node biopsy. The following characteristics of the primary tumor were considered as indicative of a risk of invasive disease: presence of palpable mass, mammographic mass, multicentric disease that required mastectomy, and histologically high nuclear grade or non-high nuclear grade with necrosis. Subdermal injections of 99mTc-labeled human albumin and subareolar injection ofblue dye were used for sentinel lymph node identification. All sentinel nodes were sectioned serially and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed using a cytokeratin monoclonal antibody. Results A positive sentinel lymph node was found in only one patient (1.9%). The patient had a double lesion, and core-needle biopsy showed an atypical ductal hyperplasia and a intermediate degree of ductal carcinoma in situ. At pathologic review of the specimen, no invasive aspect was detected. Conclusions The results of our study indicate that sentinel lymph node metastasis in pure ductal carcinoma in situ is extremely uncommon. We therefore suggest that sentinel lymph node biopsy might be indicated for patients with ductal carcinoma in situ detected as a palpable mass or as large extensive microcalcifications, as well as for patients who are undergoing mastectomy, especially with immediate reconstruction.

Familial and sporadic breast cancers: differences in clinical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical features.

In the present study, the authors investigated the clinical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical features in familial breast cancer (FBC) patients and compared them with findings in sporadic breast cancers (SBCs); hormone receptor status was stratified by age. A total of 849 patients treated for breast cancer were included in the study. The patients were stratified into 2 groups: FBC, 160 patients (19%), and SBC, 689 patients (81%). FBC tumors differed from SBC tumors by earlier age of diagnosis and low content of progesterone receptor (PR). These characteristics should be of value in evaluating the possibility of mutation and in targeting mutation screening in such families. PR gene polymorphism leads to an increased risk of breast cancer because it determines inadequate control of estrogen receptor (ER)-driven proliferative function. ER+/PR− tumors more frequently showed HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor) overexpression and represent a distinct subset in FBC patients. The authors suggest that late-onset FBCs need more intensive therapy and a more careful follow-up.