Accuracy and axilla sparing potentials of sentinel lymph node biopsy with methylene blue alone performed before versus after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer: a single institution experience

Outcomes of Sentinel Node Biopsy for Women with Breast Cancer After Neoadjuvant Therapy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Real-World Data

BACKGROUND

Evidence on the accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) after neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) for patients with breast cancer is inconclusive. This study reviewed the real-world data to determine the acceptability of SLNB after NAT.

METHODS

The study searched for articles in the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases. The primary outcomes were the identification rate for sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) and the false-negative rate (FNR) for SLNB. The study also evaluated the FNR in subgroups defined by tumor stage, nodal stage, hormone receptor status, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 status, tumor response, mapping technique, and number of SLNs removed.

RESULTS

The study retrieved 61 prospective and 18 retrospective studies with 10,680 initially cN± patients. The pooled estimate of the identification rate was 0.906 (95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.891-0.922), and the pooled FNR was 0.118 (95 % CI, 0.103-0.133). In subgroup analysis, the FNR was significantly higher for the patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-negative status and fewer than three SLNs removed. The FNR did not differ significantly between the patients with and those without complete tumor response. Among the patients with initial clinical negative axillary lymph nodes, the incidence of node metastasis was 26.8 % (275/1041) after NAT.

CONCLUSION

Real-world evidence indicates that the FNR of SLNB after NAT in breast cancer is 11.8 %, exceeding only slightly the commonly adopted threshold of 10 %. The FNR is significantly higher for patients with ER-negative status and removal of fewer than three SLNs. Using a dual tracer and removing at least three SLNs may increase the accuracy of SLNB after NAT.

Sentinel Node Biopsy after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer: Preliminary Experience with Clinically Node Negative Patients after Systemic Treatment

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) following neoadjuvant treatment (NACT) has been questioned by many studies that reported heterogeneous identification (IR) and false negative rates (FNR). As a result, some patients receive axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) regardless of response to NACT, leading to a potential overtreatment. To better assess reliability and clinical significance of SLNB status on ycN0 patients, we retrospectively analyzed oncological outcomes of 399 patients treated between January 2016 and December 2019 that were either cN0-ycN0 (219 patients) or cN1/2-ycN0 (180 patients). The Endpoints of our study were to assess, furthermore than IR: oncological outcomes as Overall Survival (OS); Distant Disease Free Survival (DDFS); and Regional Disease Free Survival (RDFS) according to SLNB status. SLN identification rate was 96.8% (98.2% in patients cN0-ycN0 and 95.2% in patients cN+-ycN0). A median number of three lymph nodes were identified and removed. Among cN0-ycN0 patients, 149 (68%) were confirmed ypN0(sn), whereas regarding cN1/2-ycN0 cases 86 (47.8%) confirmed an effective downstaging to ypN0. Three year OS, DDFS and RDFS were significantly related to SLNB positivity. Our data seemed to confirm SLNB feasibility following NACT in ycN0 patients, furthermore reinforcing its predictive role in a short observation timing.

A mini-review on factors and countermeasures associated with false-negative sentinel lymph node biopsies in breast cancer

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a new surgical technique for local axillary lymph nodes (ALNs) of breast cancer. Large-scale clinical trials have confirmed that undergoing SLNB and ALN dissection (ALND) showed no significant difference for sentinel lymph node (SLN)-negative patients in terms of disease-free survival, overall survival and recurrence-free survival. However, false-negative results are still the main concern of physicians as well as patients who undergo SLNB instead of ALND. The American Society of Breast Surgeons established a task force to suggest acceptable standards for SLNB. In 2000, the task force recommended that the identification rate for SLNB be 85% or higher and the false-negative rate be 5% or lower. This review focuses on clinical factors (tumor volume, multifocal/multi-center cancers, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and skip metastasis), tracer techniques and pathological factors affecting SLNB and explores methods for reducing the false-negative rate.

Histologic Grade and Decrease in Tumor Dimensions Affect Axillary Lymph Node Status after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer Patients

Purpose

The purposes our study was to find out any histologic factors associated with negative conversion of axillary lymph node (ALN) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). We also evaluated the association between the decrease in size of primary breast tumor and negative conversion of ALN.

Methods

From January 2012 to November 2014, we included 133 breast cancer patients who underwent NAC and who had ALN metastases which were confirmed on fine-needle aspiration or core needle biopsy at initial diagnosis. All 133 patients underwent initial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the time of diagnosis and preoperative MRI after completion of NAC. We measured the longest dimension of primary breast cancer on MRI.

Results

Of 133 patients, 39 patients (29%) showed negative conversion of ALN and of these 39 patients, 25 patients (64%) showed pathologic complete remission of primary breast. On univariate analysis, mean percent decrease in longest dimension, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status and histologic grade were significantly associated with the ALN status after NAC (p<0.001, p=0.001, p< 0.001, p=0.001, p=0.002, respectively). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, percent decrease in longest dimension (odds ratio, 1.026; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.009-1.044) and histologic grade (odds ratio, 3.964; 95% CI, 1.151-13.657) were identified as being independently associated with the ALN status after NAC. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.835 with the best cutoff value of 80% decrease in longest dimension. Combination of high histologic grade and more than 80% decrease in longest dimension showed 64% sensitivity and 92% specificity.

Conclusion

High histologic grade and more than 80% decrease in primary tumor dimension were associated with negative conversion of ALN after NAC.

Main controversies in breast cancer

In this article, we have reviewed available evidence for diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up in female breast cancer (BC). Into daily clinical practice some controversies are occurred. Especially, in the diagnosis field, despite the fact that the optimal age in which screening mammography should start is a subject of intense controversy, there is a shift toward the beginning at the age of 40 although it is suggested that the net benefit is small for women aged 40 to 49 years. In addition, a promising tool in BC screening seems to be breast tomosynthesis. Other tools such as 3D ultrasound and shear wave elastography (SWE) are full of optimism in BC screening although ultrasonography is not yet a first-line screening method and there is insufficient evidence to recommend the systemic use of the SWE for BC screening. As for breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), even if it is useful in BC detection in women who have a strong family history of BC, it is not generally recommended as a screening tool. Moreover, based on the lack of randomized clinical trials showing a benefit of presurgical breast MRI in overall survival, it's integration into breast surgical operations remains debatable. Interestingly, in contrast to fine needle aspiration, core biopsy has gained popularity in presurgical diagnosis. Furthermore, after conservative surgery in patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes, the recent tendency is the shift from axillary dissection to axillary conserving strategies. While the accuracy of sentinel lymph node after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and second BC surgery remains controversial, more time is needed for evaluation and for determining the optimal interval between the two surgeries. Additionally, in the decision between immediate or delayed breast reconstruction, there is a tendency in the immediate use. In the prevention of BC, the controversial issue between tamoxifen and raloxifene becomes clear with raloxifene be more profitable through the toxicities of tamoxifen. However, the prevention of bone metastasis with bisphosphonates is still conflicting. Last but not least, in the follow-up of BC survivors, mammography, history and physical examination are the means of an early detection of BC recurrence. ed.

Axillary lymph node status, adjusted for pathologic complete response in breast and axilla after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, predicts differential disease-free survival in breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Our retrospective study in breast cancer patients evaluated whether integrating subtype and pathologic complete response (pcr) information into axillary lymph node restaging after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (nac) adds significance to its prognostic values.

METHODS

Patients included in the analysis had stage ii or iii disease, with post-nac axillary lymph node dissection (alnd), without sentinel lymph node biopsy before completion of nac, with definitive subtyping data and subtype-oriented adjuvant treatments. The ypN grading system was used to restage axillary lymph node status, and ypN0 was adjusted by pcr in both breast and axilla into ypN0(pcr) and ypN0(non-pcr). Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Among the 301 patients analyzed, 145 had tumours that were hormone receptor-positive (hr+) and negative for the human epidermal growth factor receptor (her2-), 101 had tumours that were positive for her2 (her2+), and 55 had tumours that were triple-negative. The rate of pcr in both breast and axilla was 11.7%, 43.6%, and 25.5% respectively for the 3 subtypes. Compared with the non-pcr patients, the pcr patients had better disease-free survival (dfs) and overall survival (os): p = 0.002 for dfs and p = 0.011 for os. In non-pcr patients, dfs and os were similar in the ypN0(non-pcr) and ypN1 subgroups, and in the ypN2 and ypN3 subgroups. We therefore grouped the ypN grading results into ypN0(pcr) (n = 75), ypN0- 1(non-pcr) (n = 175), and ypN2-3 (n = 51). In those groups, the 3-year dfs was 98%, 91%, and 56%, and the 3-year os was 100%, 91%, and 82% respectively. The differences in dfs and os between those three subgroups were significant (all p < 0.05 in paired comparisons). Multivariate Cox regression showed that subtype and ypN staging adjusted by pcr were the only two independent factors predicting dfs.

CONCLUSIONS

Axillary lymph node status after nac, adjusted for pcr in breast and axilla, predicts differential dfs in patients without prior sentinel lymph node biopsy.