Sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer

Abstract EN

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in staging of early breast cancer is a feasible, accurate and reliable procedure.

90 patients with early breast cancer undergoing Sentinel lymph node biopsy in the Departments of Surgery at King Abdulaziz University and Bakhsh Hospitals between December 2000- 2006.

The objective of the study is to determine the feasibility, accuracy and technique of Sentinel lymph node biopsy in the management of early breast cancer and to predict axillary lymph node status.

57 patients had stage I breast cancer (63.3%).

Different methods were used to localize Sentinel lymph node initially by using combination of lymphazurin blue and radioisotope in 12 patients (13.3%), lymphazurin in 25 patients (27.8%) and methylene blue in 53 patients (58.9%).

Sentinel lymph node dentification rate was 98.9%.

60 (66.7%) had lumpectomy while 30 (33.3%) had mastectomy.

Frozen section accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of Sentinel lymph node were (96.8%, 84.4%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 97.97%).

Local breast recurrence rate was 3 (3.3%).

Methylene blue is effective and safe in the detection of sentinel lymph node in patients with breast cancer; it is lower in cost and is readily available.