Is sentinel node biopsy necessary in the radiologically negative axilla in breast cancer?

Jozsa, F, Ahmed, M, Baker, RD ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3555-3425 and Douek, M 2019, 'Is sentinel node biopsy necessary in the radiologically negative axilla in breast cancer?' , Breast Cancer Research and Treatment .

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Abstract

Purpose: The steady move towards axillary conservatism in breast cancer is based on studies demonstrating that axillary node clearance affords no survival benefit in a subset of patients with a positive pre-operative axillary ultrasound (AUS). However, less attention has been paid to AUS-negative patients who receive sentinel node biopsy as standard.

Methods: Previously assembled systematic review data was reassessed to evaluate nodal burden amongst patients with breast cancer and a clinically and radiologically negative axilla.

Results: Pooled data from four cohort studies reporting pre-operative axillary ultrasound in 5139 patients with breast cancer show it has a negative predictive rate of 0.951 (95% confidence interval 0.941–0.960).

Conclusions: Reconsidering the use of ultrasound in patients with early breast cancer and non-palpable axillae reveals that sentinel node biopsy itself may represent surgical over-treatment in patients with a negative axillary ultrasound. The implications of this on the future of surgical management of the axilla are discussed.

Item Type:	Article
Schools:	Schools > Salford Business School
Journal or Publication Title:	Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
Publisher:	Springer
ISSN:	0167-6806
Related URLs:	Publisher
Depositing User:	Prof Rose Dawn Baker
Date Deposited:	03 Jun 2019 13:52
Last Modified:	02 Jul 2019 10:09
URI:	http://usir.salford.ac.uk/id/eprint/51468

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