BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of sentinel lymph node biopsy and that of four-node sampling for predicting other nodal status in @entity0 . METHODS: 206 @entity1 with operable @entity0 were enrolled. The identification of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) was carried out in 110 @entity1 using a gamma probe after injection of radioactive tin colloids. Four palpable lymph nodes (FNs) were removed from the lower axilla at the first step of axillary dissection in 98 @entity1 . The predictive value of nodal status was compared between SLNs and FNs, based on the pathological findings of all dissected lymph nodes. To examine the relationship between SLNs and FNs, we chose the FNs retrospectively (defined as rFNs) from among all nodes in SLNs. RESULTS: SLNs were identified in 108 (98%) of 110 @entity1 . With one @entity1 having skip @entity3 , the accuracy and sensitivity were 99 and 98%, respectively. In the four-node sampling (FNS) group, two in 98 @entity1 had skip @entity3 and the accuracy and sensitivity were 98 and 96%, respectively. Findings on the relationship between these methods of biopsy were as follows: (i) rFNs included SLNs in 79 @entity1 (73%); (ii) rFNs partially included SLNs in 24 @entity1 (22%); and (iii) no relationship was evident in five @entity1 (5%). CONCLUSIONS: The accuracy/sensitivity of FNs was comparable to that of SLNs. FNS can be considered to represent a highly promising approach and may be used as an alternative procedure that can be performed safely and easily in any institute.

Management of the axilla in XXXX : a comparative study between sentinel lymph node biopsy and four-node sampling procedure.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity0 :: ('MESH:D001943', 'Disease') :: ['breast cancer'] @entity3 :: ('MESH:D009362', 'Disease') :: ['metastasis']
@entity0 :: (MESH:D001943,Disease) :: ['breast cancer']
