Original scientific paper
Sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer; our experience in The University Hospital for Tumors, Zagreb, Croatia
Danko Velimir Vrdoljak
; Department of Surgical Oncology, University Hospital for Tumors, Zagreb, Croatia
Mladen Stanec
; Department of Surgical Oncology, University Hospital for Tumors, Zagreb, Croatia
Miroslav Lesar
; Department of Surgical Oncology, University Hospital for Tumors, Zagreb, Croatia
Stjepan Juzbašić
; Department of Surgical Oncology, University Hospital for Tumors, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The study was aimed at analyzing metastatic involvement in sentinel lymph node in patients with primary breast cancer.
The study includes 51 female patients undergoing surgery for primary breast cancer at the University Hospital for Tumors, Zagreb, Croatia. Prior to the standard surgical procedure, sentinel lymph node biopsy was performed and patohistologically and immunohistochemically analyzed.
Sentinel lymph node biopsy was done in 51 patients meeting the indication criteria for the procedure. In 39 (76.47%) biopsy samples immunohistochemical results were negative (no signs of metastases), in 11 (21.57%) the result was positive, and in 1 (1.96%) patient the sentinel lymph node was not located using the gamma probe following the preoperative lymphoscintigraphy.
Recently, a new phase in conserving surgery for breast cancer has started. Considering the presence of the so-called skip metastases in 2% of the cases, the idea of conserving surgery for axillary lymph nodes occurred, and thus the sentinel node surgery has been developed. In simple terms, in case the sentinel lymph node is negative, other axillary lymph nodes should not be removed; if the node is positive, a classic axillary dissection, i.e. the removal of axillary lymph nodes should be done.
Keywords
breast cancer; sentinel lymph node; tumor marker CA 15-3
Hrčak ID:
281793
URI
Publication date:
3.12.2003.
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