Locoregional treatment of early breast cancer with isolated tumor cells or micrometastases on sentinel lymph node biopsy

The impact of axillary lymph node dissection on the prognosis of breast cancer patients undergoing up-front mastectomy with Sentinel lymph node micrometastases

Traditionally, completion axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) has been standard for breast cancer patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs). However, ALND poses risks of morbidity. Recent trials suggest omission of ALND may be safe in selected cases. Controversy exists regarding ALND omission in mastectomy patients with micrometastases. We retrospectively analyzed data from 12 centers in China and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Patients with T1-2 breast cancer and SLN micrometastases who underwent up-front mastectomy were included. Patients were categorized into two groups: Non-ALND and ALND. Clinicopathological factors and survival outcomes were compared between the two groups. A total of 118 patients from 12 centers in China and 4,884 patients from the SEER database were included in the analysis. The Non-ALND group demonstrated non-inferiority in terms of recurrence-free survival (RFS), locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS), and overall survival (OS) when compared to the ALND group. Multivariable analysis identified significant predictors of survival outcomes. This study supports the omission of ALND in T1-2N1mi breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy, demonstrating comparable survival outcomes to those undergoing ALND. Proper patient selection is essential for tailored treatment strategies.

Does the Presence of Cytokeratin Positive Individual Tumor Cells (N0(I+)) in Sentinel Lymph Nodes Affect Clinical Outcomes in Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation

Purpose

To report a primary objective clinical outcome of ipsilateral breast cancer recurrence following accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) with N_0(i+) (single tumor cells or clusters <2mm) in sentinel lymph nodes. The secondary objective was to observe any incidence of ipsilateral breast failure.

Patients and Methods

Between March 2004 and April 2016, a total of 747 patients were enrolled in one of two APBI (Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation) breast protocols (Phase II NCT01185145 and Phase III NCT01185132). Nineteen patients with N_0(i+) disease were treated between February 2005 and December 2015. Patient eligibility included a primary invasive or DCIS tumor size <3 cm, N0(i+) disease, and margin width of >2 mm. All enrolled patients presented in this report had sentinel lymph node examinations. Clinical outcomes of ipsilateral breast, axillary and combined regional (breast or axillary) recurrences were analyzed.

Results

Median follow-up for all patients was 5 years (1–8 years). No patient experienced either ipsilateral breast or axillary recurrence.

Conclusion

There has been scarce information/reporting of the treatment of patients with cytokeratin positive individual tumor cells N_0(i+) with APBI. The authors have presented data which suggest that the successful outcomes of these patients might warrant further study.

Role of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Microinvasive Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

Microinvasive ductal carcinoma (DCISM), defined as DCIS with a focus of invasive carcinoma ≤ 1 mm, can be managed similarly to pure DCIS; however, management of the axilla in DCISM has been a subject of debate. Reports in the literature differ on the utility and necessity of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for DCISM. The aim of the present study was to identify risk factors for nodal disease in patients with DCISM, which can help develop a selective approach to SLNB in this patient population.

METHODS

The National Cancer Database was used to select patients with DCISM (pT1mi), diagnosed from 2012 to 2015, who underwent SLNB. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to determine associations between sentinel lymph node metastasis and relevant clinical variables.

RESULTS

Our cohort comprised of 2609 patients with pT1mi who underwent SLNB. Of these, 76 (2.9%) were found to have sentinel lymph node metastases on final pathology. Low/intermediate grade tumors were associated with decreased SLN metastasis (OR 0.50, CI 0.28-0.92). Age and receptor status of the tumor did not have a clear association in predicting SLN metastases.

CONCLUSIONS

The rate of sentinel node metastases in DCISM is low at only 2.9% in this national study. Tumor grade was identified as influencing the risk of SLN metastases. This information can factor into shared decision-making for SLNB in patients with DCISM.

Evaluation of sentinel lymph node biopsy prior to axillary lymph node dissection: the role of isolated tumor cells/micrometastases and multifocality/multicentricity-a retrospective study of 1214 breast cancer patients

PURPOSE

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) alone has thus become an accepted surgical approach for patients with limited axillary metastatic disease. We investigated to what extent isolated tumor cells (ITC) or micrometastasis in SLNBs is associated with proven tumor cells or metastasis in non-sentinel lymph nodes. Furthermore, we investigated the feasibility of SLNB in multifocal and multicentric tumors as both entities have been considered a contraindication for this technique.

METHODS

1214 women suffering from T1 and T2 invasive breast cancer, with clinically and sonographically insuspect axillary status and undergoing primary breast cancer surgery including SLNB and axillary staging in case of SLN (sentinel lymph node) metastases, were recruited into this multicentered study.

RESULTS

ITC and micrometastases were found in 2.01 and 21.4% of patients with SLN metastases (n = 299). Among patients with sentinel micrometastases, 4.7% showed further axillary micrometastases, while only two patients (3.1%) had two axillary macrometastases. Multifocal and multicentric tumors were diagnosed in 9.3 and 2.6% of our patients who at least had one SLN resected, respectively. Detection rates of SLNs did not differ between the cohorts suffering from unicentric and multifocal or multicentric disease. Moreover, the portion of tumor-free SLNs, the number of SLNs with metastasis as well as the mean number of resected SLNs did not differ.

CONCLUSIONS

No patient with sentinel node micrometastases showed more than two axillary macrometastases. Multifocal and multicentric disease is no contraindication for SLNB.

Retrospective observational study about reducing the false negative rate of the sentinel lymph node biopsy: Never underestimate the effect of subjective factors

Reducing the false negative rate of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for breast cancer patients has always been a focus of clinical research. We aimed to map the sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in detail, and analyze the factors related to SLNs located at locations that are often ignored by surgeons, to reduce the rate of false negatives from SLNB. A retrospective analysis involving 545 breast cancer patients who underwent SLNB in west China hospital between August 2010 and February 2016 was performed. Blue dye, radioisotope, or combined methods were used for tracing SLNs. Using blue dye, radioisotope, and a combination of blue dye and radioisotope successfully traced SLNs in 479, 507, and 525 patients, the detection rate was 88.2%, 93.9%, and 97.4%, respectively. Among the 1559 detected SLNs, 139 (9.6%) were located at the latissimus dorsi lateral margin, and 108 (6.9%) were located at level 2. Subcutaneous injection of radioisotope (P = .004) and intradermal injection of blue dye (P = .002) were independent factors associated with SLNs distributed at level 2 and the latissimus dorsi lateral margin, respectively. It was noteworthy that 2 of 7 patients had skipping metastasis in level 2, so subcutaneous injection of the isotope is strongly recommended for tracing SLNs distributed in level 2 because of the possibility of skipping metastasis. Though intradermal injection of blue dye was superior methods for tracing SLNs located at the latissimus dorsi lateral margin, we surprisingly found those patients with metastasis to the latissimus dorsi lateral margin nodes also could have metastasis to level 1 (expect for the latissimus dorsi lateral margin) nodes, it seemed that maybe there is no need to excise SLNs at the latissimus dorsi lateral margin in SLNB, whether such nodes should be regarded as useful for SLNB still needs to be determined by further large, multicenter clinical studies.

Axillary Micrometastases and Isolated Tumor Cells Are Not an Indication for Post-mastectomy Radiotherapy in Stage 1 and 2 Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

Randomized trials demonstrate equivalent locoregional control with sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for T1-2 micrometastatic breast cancer, but include few mastectomy patients. Consensus is lacking on indications for post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) in this population. Herein, we evaluate locoregional recurrence (LRR) in an unselected, modern cohort of T1-2 breast cancer patients with micrometastases or isolated tumor cells (ITCs; N0i+/N1mi) having a mastectomy.

METHODS

We identified patients with T1-2N0i+/N1mi breast cancer treated with mastectomy from January 2006 to December 2011. Recurrent, bilateral, and neoadjuvant cases were excluded. The primary outcome of interest was LRR.

RESULTS

Overall, 352 patients [211 (60%) with ITCs and 141 (40%) with micrometastases] were identified. 162 (46%) patients had SLNB alone and one node was positive in 295 (84%) cases; 31 (9%) patients had PMRT and 95% had systemic therapy. At a median 6 years of follow-up, the overall crude LRR rate was 2.8% (n = 9), with no axillary recurrences, and the crude LRR rate was 3.9% among those who had SNB alone. Those with LRR had a median age of 55 years, median tumor size of 1.7 cm, and ductal histology; the majority were high-grade (89%) and estrogen receptor positive (78%), with one positive node (89%). There was no association between LRR and receipt of PMRT (p = 0.4), SLNB versus ALND (p = 0.2), or number of positive nodes (p = 0.7) using the log-rank test.

CONCLUSIONS

LRR was infrequent among T1-2N0i+/N1mi patients treated with mastectomy without PMRT, with no axillary failures, suggesting that PMRT or nodal radiotherapy are not routinely indicated in this population.