[Prevalence of micrometastases and isolated tumor cells in the sentinel node at early stage breast cancer]. / Prevalencia de micrometástasis y células aisladas en el ganglio centinela en estadios iniciales del cáncer de mama.

AIM: To analyze the prevalence of isolated tumor cells (ITC) and micrometastases in the sentinel node of early stage breast cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 234 patients diagnosed of breast cancer, stages T1 or T2, with no axillary involvement detected by palpation or ultrasound-FNA, were studied. The sentinel node (SN) was identified by lymphoscintigraphy and removed in the operating room. Serial sections and immunohistochemical staining were then performed, classifying them as negative (SN-), negative with ITC (SN-ITC), positive with micrometastases (SN+mic) and positive with macrometastases (SN+mac). A complete axillary lymphadenectomy (CAL) was carried out in those cases with micro- or macrometastases, the former being classified as negative (CAL-), positive with micrometatases (CAL+mic), and positive with macrometastases (CAL+mac). The follow-up ranged from 6-71 months. RESULTS: ITC were found in 12 patients (5.1%) and micrometastases in 24 (10.3%). Thus, a total of 36 patients were affected by some of these conditions (15.4%). In the group with micrometastases, the result of CAL was CAL- in 19/24 (79.1%), CAL+mic in 2 (8.3%) and CAL+mac in 3 (12.5%). No axillary recurrences have occurred up to date. CONCLUSIONS: ITC and micrometastases were found in the sentinel node in a significant percentage of patients in the early stages of breast cancer. The low percentage of further axillary invasion in the group of micrometastases may open up the possibility of avoiding CAL in favor of other adjuvant treatments (chemotherapy, radiotherapy).

[Micrometastasis in the sentinel node and axillary lymph node macro-metastasis in breast cancer]. / Micrometástasis en el ganglio centinela y macrometástasis ganglionares axilares en el cáncer de mama.

AIM: The study of the sentinel node has made it possible to obtain more comprehensive knowledge about the extent of axillary involvement in breast cancer. It has also decreased the surgical morbidity associated to the surgical examination of the axilla. The systematic use of immunohistochemical staining and molecular biology techniques improves the ability to detect the presence of micrometastasis or isolated tumor cells in a significant number of cases when this is the only sign of the lymph node extension of the disease. The possibility of avoiding complete axillary lymphadenectomy in those patients who are only affected by micrometastasis is proposed because of the low incidence of further involvement of the remaining lymph nodes. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 159 patients diagnosed of stage T1 or T2 breast cancer, in which the sentinel node had been identified by scintigraphy and intraoperative localization, were included in the study. Complete axillary lymphadenectomy was performed when micro- or macrometastases were found in the sentinel node, in order to determine the degree of axillary involvement. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients (25%) showed infiltration of the sentinel node. This infiltration was only by micrometastasis in 17 of them (10.7%). Of these 17 patients, only 2 (11.8%) showed macro-metastasis in the lymphadenectomy. In the remaining subjects, the final staging reached after the sentinel node study was not modified. CONCLUSION: It is possible to speculate that, in the future, axillary dissection can be avoided in those patients diagnosed of micrometastasis in the sentinel node, pending the conclusions of the on-going multicenter studies.

Gasless laparoscopic cholecystectomy is not more time-consuming.

BACKGROUND: Although abdominal wall retraction is said to be advantageous in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), many surgeons have found that, when this option is chosen, more time is needed to prepare for and carry out the surgical procedure. Our aim was to determine the time required for surgical preparation and operation in patients undergoing LC with carbon dioxide (CO2) pneumoperitoneum (CO2 PP) vs abdominal wall retraction (AWR). METHODS: We performed a prospective randomized study of a CO2 PP LC group (n = 19) vs an AWR LC group (n = 15). Demographic data were collected preoperatively. LC was performed with either CO2 PP (12 mmHg) or AWR (6-10 kps). Two phases were considered: (a) time employed to create the surgical field (phase 1) and (b) operating time (phase 2). The chi-square test was used to compare the medians of the two groups. RESULTS: The two groups were homogeneous. Phase 1 required 35 min in the CO2 PP group vs 25 min in the AWR group (p = 0.24). Phase 2 required 60 min in both groups (p = 0.76). CONCLUSION: We found no statistically significant difference between the PP CO2 and AWR groups in either time spent to create the surgical field or actual operating time.