• 대한종양외과학회지
• /
• 제14권2호
• /
• pp.135-141
• /
• 2018

Purpose: Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) are important for staging of patients with node-positive breast cancer. However, these can be avoided in select micrometastatic diseases, preventing postoperative complications. The present study evaluated the ability of axillary lymph node maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) on positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) to predict axillary metastasis of breast cancer. Methods: The records of invasive breast cancer patients who underwent pretreatment (surgery and/or chemotherapy) PET-CT between January 2006 and December 2014 were reviewed. ALNs were preoperatively evaluated by PET-CT. Lymph nodes were dissected by SLNB or ALND. SUVmax was measured in both the axillary lymph node and primary tumor. Student t-test and chi-square test were used to analyze sensitivity and specificity. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and area under the ROC curve (AUC) analyses were performed. Results: SUV-tumor (SUV-T) and SUV-lymph node (SUV-LN) were significantly higher in the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) group than in other groups (SUV-T: 5.99, P<0.01; SUV-LN: 1.29, P=0.014). The sensitivity (0.881) and accuracy (0.804) for initial ALN staging were higher in fine needle aspiration+PET-CT than in other methods. For PET-CT alone, the subtype with the highest sensitivity (0.870) and negative predictive value (0.917) was TNBC. The AUC for SUV-LN was greatest in TNBC (0.797). Conclusion: The characteristics of SUV-T and SUV-LN differed according to immunohistochemistry subtype. Compared to other subtypes, the true positivity of axillary metastasis on PET-CT was highest in TNBC. These findings could help tailor management for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes.

• Journal of Breast Cancer
• /
• 제21권4호
• /
• pp.433-4341
• /
• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) on recurrence and survival after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer patients with cytology-proven axillary node metastasis. Methods: We selected patients who were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and axillary lymph node metastasis and were treated with NAC followed by curative surgery between January 2007 and December 2014. We classified patients into three groups: group A, negative sentinel lymph node (SLN) status and no further dissection; group B, negative SLN status with backup axillary lymph node dissection (ALND); and group C, no residual axillary metastasis on pathology with standard ALND. Results: The median follow-up time was 51 months (range, 3-122 months) and the median number of retrieved SLNs was 5 (range, 2-9). The SLN identification rate was 98.3% (234/238 patients), and the false negative rate of SLNB after NAC was 7.5%. There was no significant difference in axillary recurrence-free survival (p=0.118), disease-free survival (DFS; p=0.578) or overall survival (OS; p=0.149) among groups A, B, and C. In the subgroup analysis of breast pathologic complete response (pCR) status, there was no significant difference in DFS (p=0.271, p=0.892) or OS (p=0.207, p=0.300) in the breast pCR and non-pCR patients. Conclusion: These results suggest that SLNB can be feasible and oncologically safe after NAC for cytology-determined axillary node metastasis patients and could help reduce arm morbidity and lymphedema by avoiding ALND in SLN-negative patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제14권1호
• /
• pp.583-587
• /
• 2013

This study aimed to investigate tumor microvessel density (MVD) and lymphatic vessel density (LVD) using the Chalkley method as predictive markers for the risk of axillary lymph node metastasis and their relationship to other clinicopathological parameters in primary breast cancer cases. Forty two node-positive and eighty node-negative breast cancers were immunostained for CD34 and D2-40. MVD and LVD were counted by the Chalkley method at x400 magnification. There was a positive significant correlation of the MVD with the tumor size, coexisting ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and lymph node metastases (P<0.05). In multivariate analysis, the MVD (2.86-4: OR 5.87 95%CI 1.05-32; >4: OR 20.03 95%CI 3.47-115.55), lymphovascular invasion (OR 3.46, 95% CI 1.13-10.58), and associated DCIS (OR 3.1, 95%CI 1.04-9.23) independently predicted axillary lymph node metastasis. There was no significant relationship between LVD and axillary lymph node metastasis. However, D2-40 was a good lymphatic vessel marker to enhance the detection of lymphatic invasion compared to H and E staining. In conclusion, MVD by the Chalkley method, lymphovascular invasion and associated DCIS can be additional predictive factors for axillary lymph node metastases in breast cancer. No relationship was identified between LVD and clinicopathological variables, including axillary lymph node metastasis.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• 제32권3호
• /
• pp.132-137
• /
• 2014

Purpose: To evaluate non-sentinel lymph node (LN) status after sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNB) in patients with breast cancer and to identify the predictive factors for disease failure. Materials and Methods: From January 2006 to December 2007, axillary lymph node (ALN) dissection after SNB was performed for patients with primary invasive breast cancer who had no clinical evidence of LN metastasis. A total of 320 patients were treated with breast-conserving surgery and radiotherapy. Results: The median age of patients was 48 years, and the median follow-up time was 72.8 months. Close resection margin (RM) was observed in 13 patients. The median number of dissected SNB was two, and that of total retrieved ALNs was 11. Sentinel node accuracy was 94.7%, and the overall false negative rate (FNR) was 5.3%. Eleven patients experienced treatment failure. Local recurrence, regional LN recurrence, and distant metastasis were identified in 0.9%, 1.9%, and 2.8% of these patients, respectively. Sentinel LN status were not associated with locoregional recurrence (p > 0.05). Close RM was the only significant factor for disease-free survival (DFS) in univariate and multivariate analysis. The 5-year overall survival, DFS, and locoregional DFS were 100%, 96.8%, and 98.1%, respectively. Conclusion: In this study, SNB was performed with high accuracy and low FNR and high locoregional control was achieved.

• 대한핵의학회지
• /
• 제34권6호
• /
• pp.478-486
• /
• 2000

목적: 조직 검사에서 유방암으로 확진된 환자 15명 (평균 연령 50.4세)을 대상으로 수술 전에 시행한 유방림프신티그라피(lymphoscintigraphy)와 수술 중 감마프로우브를 이용하여, 림프관 유입형태 및 전초림프절(sentinel lymph node)을 찾아, 전초 및 액와림프절을 각각 절제, 생검하여, 전초 림프절의 림프신티그라피 발현율, 전초림프절 전이와 액와림프절 전이의 상관 관계 등을 보고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법: 환자의 임상병기는 병기 I-II 이었고, 4례에서 액와림프절이 촉지되었다. 침습성 관암 13명, 수질암 및 포도당 풍부암이 각각 1명씩이었다. 유방림프신티그라피는 다음과 같이 시행하였다. 방사성의약품 Tc-99m antimony sulfide colloid $30{\sim}37MBq$을 총 0.4 ml 용량으로 만들어, 원발 종괴에서 $2{\sim}3mm$ 떨어진 위치의 12, 3, 6, 9시 방향에 각각 0.1 ml를 피내 주사하고 약 2분 동안 마사지하였다. 저에너지, 고해상도 평행 조준기를 이용하여 초기 동적 영상(10 sec/frame)을 10분간 시행하였으며, 이어서 5분 간격으로 $30{\sim}60$분에 걸쳐 초기 정적영상을 얻었고, 주사 후 2시간에 지연영상을 획득하였으며, 각각의 영상을 비교하여 전초림프절과 유입 림프관을 확인하였다. 유방림프신티그라피검사가 끝나면 즉시 수술실로 옮겨 전초림프절이라고 판독된 부위를 감마프로우브로 찾아 림프절의 계수와 배후 방사능을 측정하였고, 이 부위를 절개하여 조직을 떼어내 표지하고 생검하였으며, 그 외에 배후 방사능보다 높은 계수를 보인 부위가 있으면 따로 표지하여 조직 검사를 하였다. 모든 환자에서 원발 종양의 절제술과 액와림프절 절제술을 시행하였다. 결과: 전체 환자 15명 가운데 14명에서 유방림프신티그라피 및 수술 중 감마 프로우브로 전초림프절이 발견되었다(전초 림프절 검출율: 93.3%). 유방림프신티그라피로 발견된 평균 전초림프절수는 $2.47{\pm}2.00$개였으며, 감마프로우브를 이용하여 수술로 절제된 평균 전초림프절 수는 $2.36{\pm}1.96$개였다. 초기 동적 유방림프신티그라피에서 전초림프절로 유입되는 림프관이 총 15명 중 3명에서 관찰 할 수 있었으며(20%), 3명에서는 전초림프절이 2시간 지연 영상에서만 발견되었다(20%). 유방림프신티그라피에서 전초림프절이 나타난 시간은 평균 $33.4{\pm}48.4$분이었다. 전초림프절의 조직 생검 결과 14명 가운데 7명의 전초림프절에서 전이 소견이 관찰되었고(50%), 이 중 5명 환자의 액외림프절에서 전이가 보였다(예민도: 71.2%). 그러나 전초림프절에 전이가 있었던 7명 가운데 2명은 액와림프절에서 전이 소견은 관찰되지 않았다. 전초림프절에 전이가 없었던 7명 환자에서는 모두 액와림프절에서도 전이 소견을 관찰 할 수 없었다(특이도: 100%). 유방림프신티그라피 및 수술 중 감마프로우브로 전초림프절을 발견 할 수 없었던 1명에서 액와절제술 후 액와림프절 조직에서 림프절에 전이가 관찰되었다. 결론: 따라서 유방암 환자에서 유방림프신티그라피와 수술 중 감마프로우브를 이용한 전초림프절 생검은 액와림프절 전이 평가에 있어 높은 예민도와 특이도를 나타내므로 불필요한 액와림프절 절제술을 줄이는데 도움이 될 것이다.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
• /
• 제41권6호
• /
• pp.546-552
• /
• 2007

목적: 유방암 환자에게 불필요한 액와림프절 전절제술을 예방하기 위해서는 감시림프절을 절제하여 전이 여부를 평가하는 것이 중요하다. 감시림프절 매핑을 위한 방사성교질중 antimony trisulfide colloid (ASC), tin colloid (TC), human serum albumin (HSA) 이상의 3가지 교질에 $^{99m}Tc$을 표지하여 각각에서 림포신티그라피, 감시림프절 매핑의 성적을 비교하였다. 대상 및 방법: 2001년 10월부터 2006년 12월까지 임상적으로 액와림프절 전이가 없는 조기 유방암 환자 총 397명에게 시행한 림포신티그라피와 수술 중 감시림프절 절제 동결절편 검사, 및 수술 후 병리 소견을 후향적으로 평가하였다. 림포신티그라피 영상 소견을 분석하고, 감시림프절의 발견율(identification rate)과 위음성율(false negative rate), 그리고 음성예측도(negative predictive value)를 구하여 각 군의 자료에 대해 Fisher 직접확률법으로 비교하였다. 결과: 202명에게는 $^{99m}Tc$ ASC를, 120명에게는 $^{99m}Tc$-TC를, 75명에게는 $^{99m}Tc$-HSA를 사용하였으며 평균 연령, 병기, 원발 종양의 크기 등에서는 각 군별 환자들 사이에 유의한 차이가 없었다. ASE는 59명에게는 유륜부 피내 혹은 피하주사법을 사용했으며 136명에게는 종양주위 주사를, 그리고 7명의 환자에게는 두 가지를 병용하였다. TC와 HSA를 사용한 환자들에게는 모두 피내 혹은 피하주사하였다. 액와림프절 전이는 ASE사용 군에서 33.2%, TC 사용군에서 31.7%, HSA 사용 군에서 22.7%였으며 통계적으로 유의한 차이는 없었다. 감시 림프절 발견율(IR) 과 위음성율(FNR) 그리고 음성예측도(NPV) 는 사용한 교질 ASC/TC/HSA 각각에 대해 99.0%, 21.5%, 90.5% / 96.7%, 20.5%, 90.7% / 94.7%, 17.7%, 94.7%로 사용한 교질의 종류에 따라 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 없었다. 감시림프절 매핑 성적은 방사성교질의 주사방법에 따라서 유의한 차이를 보이지 않았다. 림포신티그라피의 영상에서 감시림프절이 명확히 구분된 경우는 ASC에서 79.6%, TC 에서 92.5%, HSA에서 88.6%였다. 림프관이 관찰된 비율은 ASC에서 43.6%, TC에서 0.8%, HSA 에서 96.8%이었다. 림포신티그라피에서 관찰된 감시림프절의 개수는 HSA가 가장 많았지만 통계적으로 유의한 차이는 없었다. 결론: ASC, TC 및 HSA등의 방사성교질을 이용한 감시림프절 매핑 성적은 서로 유의한 차이를 보이지 않았다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제13권11호
• /
• pp.5517-5523
• /
• 2012

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonograph and fine-needle aspiration cytologic examination (USG-FNAC) in the staging of axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patients.Methods: We conducted an electronic search of the literature addressing the performance of USG-FNAC in diagnosis of axillary lymph node metastasis in databases such as Pubmed, Medline, Embase, Ovid and Cochrane library. We introduced a series of diagnostic test indices to evaluate the performance of USG-FNAC by the random effect model (REM), including sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, and diagnostic odds ratios and area under the curve (AUC). Results: A total of 20 studies including 1371 cases and 1289 controls were identified. The pooled sensitivity was determined to be 0.66 (95% CI 0.64-0.69), specificity 0.98 (95% CI 0.98-0.99), positive likelihood ratio 22.7 (95% CI 15.0-34.49), negative likelihood ratio 0.32 (95% CI 0.25-0.41), diagnostic OR 84.2 (95% CI 53.3-133.0). Due to the marginal threshold effect found in some indices of diagnostic validity, we used a summary SROC curve to aggregate data, and obtained a symmetrical curve with an AUC of 0.942. Conclusion: The results of this meta-analysis indicated that the USG-FNAC techniques have acceptable diagnostic validity indices and can be used for early staging of axillary lymph node in breast cancer patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제13권11호
• /
• pp.5385-5389
• /
• 2012

Introduction: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a precise procedure for lymphatic staging in early breast cancer. In a valid SLNB procedure, axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) can be omitted in nodenegative cases without compromising patient safety. In this study, detection rate, accuracy and false negative rate of SLNB for breast cancer was evaluated in a setting with simple modified conventional pathology facilities without any serial sectioning or immunohistochemistry. Material and Medthod: Patients with confirmed breast cancer were enrolled in the study. SLNB and ALND were performed in all cases. Lymph node metastasis was evaluated in SLN and in nodes removed by ALND to determine the false negative rate. Pathologic assessment was carried out only by modified conventional technique with only 3 sections. Detection rate was determined either by lymphoscintigraphy or during surgery. Results: 78 patients with 79 breast units were evaluated. SLN was detected in 75 of 79 cases (95%) in lymphoscintigraphy and 76 of 79 cases (96%) during surgery. SLN metastases was detected in 30 of 75 (40%) cases either in SLNB and ALND groups. Accuracy of SLNB method for detecting LN metastases was 92%. False negative rate was 3 of 30 of positive cases: 10%. In 7 of 10 cases with axillary lymphadenopathy, LN metastastates was detected. Conclusion: SLNB is recommended for patients with various tumor sizes without palpable lymph nodes. In modified conventional pathologic examination of SLNs, at least macrometastases and some micrometastases could be detected similar to ALND. Consequently, ALND could be omitted in node-negative cases with removal of all palpable LNs. We conclude that SLNB, as one of the most important developments in breast cancer surgery, could be expanded even in areas without sophisticated pathology facilities.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제14권10호
• /
• pp.5731-5734
• /
• 2013

Background: The object of this study was to examine whether a new protocol including step-sectioning and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining of axillary sentinel nodes (SN) would lead to detection of more metastases in patients with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: Sixty-nine tumor free sentinel lymph nodes were examined. Step frozen sectioning was performed on formalin fixed SN and stained both by hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) and cytokeratin markers using IHC. Any tumoral cell in IHC stained slides were considered as a positive result. Metastases up to 0.2 mm were considered as isolated tumor cells and 0.2 up to 2 mm as micrometastasis. Results: Mean age of the patients was $48.7{\pm}12.2$ years. Step sectioning of the SN revealed 11 involved by metastasis which was statistically significant (p<0.001). Furthermore, 15 (21.7%) of the patients revealed positive results in IHC staining for pan-CK marker and this was also statistically significant (p=0.001). Ten patients had tumoral involvement in lymph nodes harvested from axillary dissection and 4 out of 15 lymph nodes with positive result for CK marker were isolated tumor cells. However, 4 of 10 patients with tumor positive lymph nodes in axillary dissection were negative for CK marker and in contrast 6 of the pan-CK positive SN were in patients with tumor-free axillary lymph nodes. Conclusions: Both IHC and step sectioning improve the detection rate of metastases. Considering the similar power of these two methods, we recommend using either IHC staining or step sectioning for better evaluation of harvested SNs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제17권3호
• /
• pp.1347-1350
• /
• 2016

Background: Breast cancer prognosis is influenced by several histopathology and clinical factors including expression of Ki67 which may have a predictive role in lymph node negative breast cancer patients. The aim of this study was to assess Ki67 expression in breast cancers without axillary lymph node involvement and to evaluate its prognostic value with regard to disease-free survival. Materials and Methods: Subjects were selected from non-metastatic invasive breast cancer patients who were referred to the oncology department of Ghaem hospital during 1 April 2001 to 1 April 2008. Ki67 levels were measured using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and compared with clinicopathological features. The relation of Ki67 expression with disease-free survival was also analysed. Results: A total of 106 women with a mean age of 49 were examined. Some 94.3% were classified as having invasive ductal carcinomas and the mean tumour diameter at the time of diagnosis was 2.8 cm. Some 50.9% of cases were ER positive and 47.2% were PR positive. P53 expression was positive in 48.1% of the cases. According to the IHC results, only 8.5% of the patients were Her2/neu positive. Ki67 was positive in 66 (62.3%) with a significant relation to lower age (p=0.0229) and P53 positivity (p=0.005). After an average of 40-months follow up, 13 (12.3%) demonstrated recurrence, most commonly systemic. Of 13 cases with relapse, 10 patients (77%) were Ki67 positive. Conclusions: In our population Ki67 appeared to be an independent prognostic factor for three-year survival. However, we stress that a survival study with a bigger sample size would help to support this conclusion.