Abstract P2-12-02: Axillary reverse mapping: A feasibility study
Authors: Khare S , Singh G , Das A , Bal A 
Published: May 2016

Background

The mainstay of the therapy in breast cancer has been mastectomy or wide local excision along with axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). There are a lot of adverse effects associated with ALND, lymphedema being the most devastating. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) can identify women who may or may not need axillary dissection and translate into a smaller number of patients undergoing axillary dissection. However, patients having positive lymph node on SLNB will still have to undergo ALND.

To reduce the occurrence of lymphedema and its associated complications the technique of Axillary Reverse Mapping (ARM) has been developed. It is based on the hypothesis that the lymphatic pathway of the arm is not involved by the metastasis of the breast primary and after accurately identifying and preserving the arm lymphatics, there would be risk of neither lymphedema, nor leaving behind metastatic cells in the lymph nodes. This prospective study was carried out to evaluate the feasibility of ARM in patients undergoing ALND.

Methods

This prospective study was carried out in the Department of General Surgery, PGIMER, from July 2010 to Dec 2011. There were seventy five Biopsy/FNAC confirmed breast cancer female patients between 18 to 75 years. All patients were undergoing ALND as part of their treatment. Patients with any prior surgical treatment for primary invasive breast cancer, bilateral breast cancer and metastatic breast disease were excluded. Patients with heart diseases, active or uncontrolled infection, dementia, altered mental status or any psychiatric condition, pregnant or lactating women and with known allergies to blue dye were also excluded.

All patients were treated as per the standard treatment for stage. All ALNDs were performed by a single surgeon. ARM was performed in all the patients by giving 5 ml of Isosulfan Blue Dye (Sterlized 1% solution) in the upper inner arm of the involved site approximately 60 minutes before exposure.

Results

The results were analyzed clinically during surgery and post-operatively by histo-pathological examination of lymphnodes. Intra-operatively, the identification of lymphnodes and lymphathics were noted in 17(22.7%) and 33 patients(44%) respectively. In none of the patient any attempt was made to preserve the blue nodes and all the lymph nodes were resected and sent for histopathological examination. In only 2 of 17 patients (11.76%) the lymph node was positive for malignant tumour cells. The tumour burden in both these patients was very high (more than 10 nodes involved). No association was found in the identification rates of ARM nodes and lymphatics to age, BMI, size of tumour, site of tumour, pathological status of axilla and timing of dye.

Conclusion

The identification rate of ARM lymphatics and nodes is low when only blue dye is used. The method appears it to be oncologically safe in patients with low tumour burden. However there is need for further studies will before this procedure can be universally applied without compromising the oncologic safety.

Once the technique is proven to be oncologically safe even in a selected group of patients, a large randomized trial will be needed to give a satisfactory answer whether the problem of lymphedema be eliminated or minimized in the patients in whom arm lymphatics are successfully preserved.

Citation Format: Khare S, Singh G, Das A, Bal A. Axillary reverse mapping: A feasibility study. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-12-02.