Abstract P2-14-21: NiToNo Study. Evaluation in terms of quality of life and upper extremity functionality after Targeted Axillary Dissection versus lymphadenectomy
Authors: Homs Laia Vila , Carrillo-Guivernau MAria Lourdes , Sampol Catalina , Capo Gabriel Matheu , CAMARASA Pau , Serra Catalina , Mariño Monica , Tarongí Angela , Cordoba Octavi , Perelló Antonia 
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Targeted Axillary Dissection (TAD) is the combination of the sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and retrieval of the clipped node that was proved positive before neoadjuvant treatment (NAT). Previous studies have demonstrated that this approach has a low false-negative rate in patients with cN+ before NAT. Current guidelines recommend axillary radiotherapy in cN+ despite a complete pathological response reported after NAT.

Aim: To evaluate if TAD improves the quality of life and arm functionality compared to axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in patients with cN+ before NAT.

Methods: Prospective observational study. The study started in 2017 and ended in 2021. We included patients with one to three suspected lymph nodes and at least one confirmed by fine-needle aspiration. Suspicious lymph nodes were clipped before NAT. After NAT if a complete radiological response was achieved by axillary ultrasound, TAD was performed. During surgery, we used ultrasound-guided marked lymph node dissection and dual tracer SLNB. Clipped and SLN were assessed with intraoperative frozen section H&E, standard H&E, and IHC with CKAE1/AE3. After surgery, the breast tumor board analyzes the pathological findings and the surgical performance. When ITC, micro-metastases, or macro-metastases were found in the nodes, or when surgical performance is considered suboptimal, we proceed to ALND. We assessed QoL with standard forms and upper extremity mobility and lymphedema by physical examination.

Results: We analyzed 44 women. Median age 53.9 years old. ALND was performed on 28 patients and TAD on 16 patients. Age and other confounding factors such as (BMI, type of surgery, and type of NAT) were similar in both groups. Median follow-up time: 24 months (5-60). No regional relapse in both groups. The axillary staging is shown in table 1. The surgical procedure and indications for ALND are shown in Table 2. Any patient with a Luminal-A-like profile had an axillary response to NAT and subsequent ALND was performed in all 4 patients. By contrast, patients with HER2 overexpression or triple negatives had better axillary responsiveness and 12/21 were stratified only with TAD. Two patients had a false positive finding on the post-NAT axillary ultrasound (one patient with LuminalB-Her2 positive tumor and one patient with HER2 positive not luminal) and ALND was performed, complete pathological response with only fibrosis was observed. Indications of ALND are shown in table 1. On the questionnaires, health status perception (84.9 TAD vs 65.77 ALND, p=0.02), QoL (83.33 TAD vs 64.29 ALND p=0.03), upped extremity symptoms (8.33% TAD vs 30.16% ALND, p&lt; 0.01) and breast symptoms (14.06% TAD vs 31.25% ALND, p=0.03) are better on TAD than in ALND patients. On physical examination, 11 patients of the ALND group had some alteration in functionality (8 patients had limitation of abduction and 7 patients had lymphedema). By contrast, any alteration was found in the patients staged only with TAD.

Conclusions: Targeted axillary dissection reduces posttreatment symptomatology and allows a better quality of life with no axillary relapses though follow-up is short. Patients with Luminal-A-like cancer probably are not good candidates for TAD because of a lack of responsiveness and perhaps another approach must be considered.

Table 1: Axillary staging after NAT

Table 2: Surgical procedure and indications for lymphadennectomy

Citation Format: Laia Vila Homs, MAria Lourdes Carrillo-Guivernau, Catalina Sampol, Gabriel Matheu Capo, Pau CAMARASA, Catalina Serra, Monica Mariño, Angela Tarongí, Octavi Cordoba, Antonia Perelló. NiToNo Study. Evaluation in terms of quality of life and upper extremity functionality after Targeted Axillary Dissection versus lymphadenectomy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-14-21.