STAGING IN BREAST-CANCER PATIENTS WITH SE NTINEL LYMPHADENECTOMY

The objective of our trial was to evaluate the significance and useful ness of sentinel lymphadenectomy (SLNE) for the staging of regional ly mph nodes in breast cancer patients. The study presented illustrates t he method and our results. As has been documentated for melanoma, the first lymph node [sentinel node (SLN)] to receive lymphatic drainage f rom a primary tumor is the expected first site of lymph-node metastasi s. The database presented includes 12 patients with operable breast ca ncer and clinically negative lymph nodes. In 11 cases the described me thod was applicable. In only one case was there no correlation between the histology of the SLN and the axillary specimen. Three SLN were tu mor-positive. Successful completion of examination of a large number o f patients with a long follow-up has the potential of reducing the num ber of axillary dissections and of significantly reducing morbidity in the majority of breast cancer patients.