BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The number of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) removed during biopsy may have an impact on the accuracy of finding a positive @entity4298 . This study investigated various factors to determine if they had any significant correlation with the number of SLNs found during biopsy. In @entity1 with positive SLNs, the nodes were then analyzed to determine which @entity4298 contained @entity3 . METHODS: For 263 @entity1 with @entity0 who successfully underwent @entity4298 biopsy, parameters such as @entity5 size, histologic characteristics, differentiation, and receptor status, @entity1 age, breast quadrant, type of surgery, mapping with blue dye only or with radiocolloid, and whether biopsy was performed before or after tumorectomy were prospectively collected. These factors were analyzed to determine whether they had any significant correlation to the number of removed lymph nodes. Positive SLNs were ranked in the order they were removed and examined for which node contained the @entity3 . RESULTS: During biopsy, a mean of 1.8 (range, 1-5) SLNs were found. The SLNs were negative in 158 @entity1 and positive in 105. The number of SLNs removed was comparable between node-negative and node-positive @entity1 , and none of the parameters analyzed was significantly related to the number of SLNs removed. Of the 105 @entity1 with a positive @entity4298 , the first @entity4298 independently predicted the pathologic status of the axilla in 96 @entity1 (91.4%; 95% CI 86.1-96.8), and the first and second @entity4298 independently predicted the status in 104 @entity1 (99%; 95% CI 97.2-100). Only one of 105 @entity1 had @entity3 in the third @entity4298 removed. CONCLUSION: The pathologic status of the axilla was independently determined by removal of the first or first and second @entity4298 in 99% of @entity1 ; removal of more than three SLNs did not increase the accuracy of finding a positive node.

Sentinel node biopsy for XXXX : does the number of sentinel nodes removed have an impact on the accuracy of finding a positive node?

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity0 :: ('MESH:D001943', 'Disease') :: ['breast cancer'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['tumor'] @entity4298 :: ('6588', 'Gene') :: ['SLN'] @entity3 :: ('MESH:D009362', 'Disease') :: ['metastasis']
@entity0 :: (MESH:D001943,Disease) :: ['breast cancer']
