Breast Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Breast Cancer, including details on symptoms, genetics, screening, treatment, information.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy is feasible even after total mastectomy.

Intra M, Veronesi P, Gentilini OD, Trifirò G, Berrettini A, Cecilio R, Colleoni M, Rietjens M, Luini A, Paganelli G, Veronesi U

Division of Breast Surgery, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy. mattia.intra@ieo.it

BACKGROUND: Previous mastectomy is unanimously considered to represent an absolute technical contraindication to sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). METHODS: Four patients who underwent total mastectomy and plastic reconstruction with prosthesis, developed, during the follow up, a unique invasive limited local subdermic recurrence amenable to surgical excision, with clinically negative axillary nodes. In all patients preoperative lymphoscintigraphy with subdermal injection of (99m)Tc-labeled colloidal particles correctly showed an axillary sentinel lymph node (SLN). RESULTS: Metastases in SLN were detected in two patients, and a complete axillary dissection followed. The remaining two patients had a negative SLN and no axillary clearance was performed. CONCLUSIONS: In selected cases, the subdermal injection of radioisotope permits the identification of an axillary SLN, even in mastectomized patients. Despite SLNB in mastectomized patients being technically feasible, only a larger population and longer patient follow up could confirm its true predictive value. However, there are no anatomical or physiological reasons to exclude "a priori" this diagnostic opportunity.

Published 5 February 2007 in J Surg Oncol, 95(2): 175-9.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Breast Cancer Research Today. All Rights Reserved.