RESUMEN
Locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) should be taken into decision making when planning breast conservative surgery, but this procedure should be done on the principle of oncologic safety in order to achieve negative surgical margin and maintain aesthetic result. This procedure should be offered as the choice of treatment in selected patients.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: To identify breast cancer cells in the afferent lymphatic tracts of axillary sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs). MATERIAL AND METHOD: The authors performed a prospective study of 1 00 breast cancer patients who underwent SLN biopsy between June 2009 and January 2010. The afferent lymphatic tracts of SLNs were identified by isosulfan blue or radiocolloid or both and were examined histologically. RESULTS: One hundred three SLNs and afferent lymphatic tracts were examined. The mean age of the patients was 53.2 years (range, 24 to 78 years). The median number of SLNs was 2 (range, 1 to 7). Twenty-four (24%) patients had positive SLNs. Most patients had stage I breast cancer (67%). Three patients with positive SLNs (13%) and stages IIB-IIIC breast cancers had tumor cells in the afferent tract tissue. There were no tumor cells in the afferent tracts of negative SLNs. CONCLUSION: Only a small proportion of operable breast cancer patients have tumor cells in the afferent lymphatic tract tissue of SLNs. There was a probable trend for more advanced stage breast cancer to harbor tumor cells in the afferent lymphatic tract tissue.