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Zhang-Yin J, Mauel E, Talpe S. Update on Sentinel Lymph Node Methods and Pathology in Breast Cancer. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:252. [PMID: 38337768 PMCID: PMC10855371 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14030252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer stands out as the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women globally. Precise lymph node staging holds critical significance for both predicting outcomes in early-stage disease and formulating effective treatment strategies to control regional disease progression in breast cancer patients. No imaging technique possesses sufficient accuracy to identify lymph node metastases in the early stages (I or II) of primary breast cancer. However, the sentinel node procedure emerges as a valuable approach for identifying metastatic axillary nodes. The sentinel lymph node is the hypothetical first lymph node or group of nodes draining a cancer. In case of established cancerous dissemination, it is postulated that the sentinel lymph nodes are the target organs primarily reached by metastasizing cancer cells from the tumor. The utilization of the sentinel node technique has brought about changes in the assessment of lymph nodes. It involves evaluating the sentinel node during surgery, enabling prompt lymph node dissection when the sentinel node procedure is positive. Additionally, histological ultra-stratification is employed to uncover occult metastases. This review aims to provide an update of this valuable technique, with focus on the practical aspects of the procedure and the different histological protocols of sentinel node evaluation in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jules Zhang-Yin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, South Luxembourg Clinic, Vivalia, 6700 Arlon, Belgium
| | - Etienne Mauel
- Department of Surgery, South Luxembourg Clinic, Vivalia, 6700 Arlon, Belgium;
| | - Stéphanie Talpe
- Department of Pathology, South Luxembourg Clinic, Vivalia, 6700 Arlon, Belgium;
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Pesapane F, Mariano L, Magnoni F, Rotili A, Pupo D, Nicosia L, Bozzini AC, Penco S, Latronico A, Pizzamiglio M, Corso G, Cassano E. Future Directions in the Assessment of Axillary Lymph Nodes in Patients with Breast Cancer. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1544. [PMID: 37763661 PMCID: PMC10534800 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59091544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Breast cancer (BC) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and accurate assessment of axillary lymph nodes (ALNs) is crucial for patient management and outcomes. We aim to summarize the current state of ALN assessment techniques in BC and provide insights into future directions. Materials and Methods: This review discusses various imaging techniques used for ALN evaluation, including ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography. It highlights advancements in these techniques and their potential to improve diagnostic accuracy. The review also examines landmark clinical trials that have influenced axillary management, such as the Z0011 trial and the IBCSG 23-01 trial. The role of artificial intelligence (AI), specifically deep learning algorithms, in improving ALN assessment is examined. Results: The review outlines the key findings of these trials, which demonstrated the feasibility of avoiding axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in certain patient populations with low sentinel lymph node (SLN) burden. It also discusses ongoing trials, including the SOUND trial, which investigates the use of axillary ultrasound to identify patients who can safely avoid sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). Furthermore, the potential of emerging techniques and the integration of AI in enhancing ALN assessment accuracy are presented. Conclusions: The review concludes that advancements in ALN assessment techniques have the potential to improve patient outcomes by reducing surgical complications while maintaining accurate disease staging. However, challenges such as standardization of imaging protocols and interpretation criteria need to be addressed. Future research should focus on large-scale clinical trials to validate emerging techniques and establish their efficacy and cost-effectiveness. Over-all, this review provides valuable insights into the current status and future directions of ALN assessment in BC, highlighting opportunities for improving patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Pesapane
- Breast Imaging Division, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (A.R.); (L.N.); (A.C.B.); (S.P.); (A.L.); (M.P.); (E.C.)
| | - Luciano Mariano
- Breast Imaging Division, AOU Città della Scienza e della Salute di Torino, 10126 Turin, Italy;
| | - Francesca Magnoni
- Division of Breast Surgery, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (F.M.); (G.C.)
- European Cancer Prevention Organization (ECP), 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Rotili
- Breast Imaging Division, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (A.R.); (L.N.); (A.C.B.); (S.P.); (A.L.); (M.P.); (E.C.)
| | - Davide Pupo
- Radiology Division, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy;
| | - Luca Nicosia
- Breast Imaging Division, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (A.R.); (L.N.); (A.C.B.); (S.P.); (A.L.); (M.P.); (E.C.)
| | - Anna Carla Bozzini
- Breast Imaging Division, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (A.R.); (L.N.); (A.C.B.); (S.P.); (A.L.); (M.P.); (E.C.)
| | - Silvia Penco
- Breast Imaging Division, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (A.R.); (L.N.); (A.C.B.); (S.P.); (A.L.); (M.P.); (E.C.)
| | - Antuono Latronico
- Breast Imaging Division, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (A.R.); (L.N.); (A.C.B.); (S.P.); (A.L.); (M.P.); (E.C.)
| | - Maria Pizzamiglio
- Breast Imaging Division, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (A.R.); (L.N.); (A.C.B.); (S.P.); (A.L.); (M.P.); (E.C.)
| | - Giovanni Corso
- Division of Breast Surgery, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (F.M.); (G.C.)
- European Cancer Prevention Organization (ECP), 20122 Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Enrico Cassano
- Breast Imaging Division, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (A.R.); (L.N.); (A.C.B.); (S.P.); (A.L.); (M.P.); (E.C.)
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Giammarile F, Vidal-Sicart S, Paez D, Pellet O, Enrique EL, Mikhail-Lette M, Morozova O, Maria Camila NM, Diana Ivonne RS, Delgado Bolton RC, Valdés Olmos RA, Mariani G. Sentinel Lymph Node Methods in Breast Cancer. Semin Nucl Med 2022; 52:551-560. [PMID: 35241267 DOI: 10.1053/j.semnuclmed.2022.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer diagnosed in women worldwide. Accurate lymph node staging is essential for both prognosis (of early-stage disease) and treatment (for regional control of disease) in patients with breast cancer. The sentinel lymph nodes are the regional nodes that directly drain lymph from the primary tumor. No imaging modality is accurate enough to detect lymph node metastases when a primary breast cancer is at an early stage (I or II), but sentinel lymph node biopsy is a highly reliable method for screening axillary nodes and for identifying metastatic (including micro-metastatic) disease in regional lymph nodes. Despite the widespread use of sentinel lymph node biopsy for early-stage breast cancer, relevant variations have been described regarding practical aspects of the procedure, and some variability has initially been reported regarding the rates of intraoperative sentinel lymph node identification and of false-negative findings, most likely because of differences in the size of the populations being investigated and in lymphatic mapping techniques. Nevertheless, using adequate learning curves and once a multidisciplinary team is experienced with the procedure, improved levels of accuracy are achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Giammarile
- Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging Section, Division of Human Health, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria; Service de Médecine Nucléaire, Centre Léon Berard, Lyon, France.
| | - Sergi Vidal-Sicart
- Nuclear Medicine Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona and Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica August Pi I Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Diana Paez
- Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging Section, Division of Human Health, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
| | - Olivier Pellet
- Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging Section, Division of Human Health, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
| | - Estrada-Lobato Enrique
- Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging Section, Division of Human Health, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
| | - Miriam Mikhail-Lette
- Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging Section, Division of Human Health, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
| | - Olga Morozova
- Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging Section, Division of Human Health, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
| | - Navarro Marulanda Maria Camila
- Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging Section, Division of Human Health, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rodríguez Sanchez Diana Ivonne
- Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging Section, Division of Human Health, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
| | - Roberto C Delgado Bolton
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging (Radiology) and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital San Pedro and Centre for Biomedical Research of La Rioja (CIBIR), Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
| | - Renato A Valdés Olmos
- Department of Radiology, Section of Nuclear Medicine & Interventional Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Leiden University Medical Center, ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Giuliano Mariani
- Regional Center of Nuclear Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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