Radiology, Vol 197, 507-510, Copyright © 1995 by Radiological Society of North America

ARTICLES

Omission of axillary lymph node dissection in early-stage breast cancer: effect on treatment outcome

M Kuznetsova, JC Graybill, TW Zusag, WF Hartsell and KL Griem
Department of Radiation Oncology, Rush-Presbyterian-St Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.

PURPOSE: To determine the effect omission of axillary lymph node dissection has on outcome in patients treated with breast-conserving therapy for early-stage invasive breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors evaluated 492 patients with breast cancer treated with (n = 32) and without (n = 456) axillary lymph node dissection. The primary tumor characteristics of the two groups were similar, though the median age was different. All patients received whole-breast radiation (mean dose, 50 Gy); additional tumor bed boosts and nodal irradiation were used more often in patients without dissection. RESULTS: Median follow- up in patients without and with dissection was 60 and 52 months, respectively. The 5-year survival was 88% and 93%, respectively. There were no regional failures in the group treated without dissection. Crude rates of local and distant failure were similar for both groups. CONCLUSION: Omission of axillary lymph node dissection should be considered in patients whose pathologic nodal status will not influence decisions regarding adjuvant therapy.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. Monson, D. A. Litvak, and R. J. Bold Surgery in the Aged Population: Surgical Oncology Arch Surg, October 1, 2003; 138(10): 1061 - 1067. [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. P. Schneidereit, N. Davis, M. Mackinnon, C. H. Speers, P. T. Truong, and I. A. Olivotto T1a Breast Carcinoma and the Role of Axillary Dissection Arch Surg, August 1, 2003; 138(8): 832 - 837. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. M. Hansen, B. J. Grube, and A. E. Giuliano The Time Has Come to Change the Algorithm for the Surgical Management of Early Breast Cancer Arch Surg, October 1, 2002; 137(10): 1131 - 1135. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. S. Wong and J. R. Harris Can Specific Axillary Radiotherapy Be Omitted in Undissected, Clinically Node-Negative Patients Who Undergo Breast-Conserving Therapy? Ann. Surg. Oncol., March 1, 2002; 9(2): 117 - 119. [Full Text] [PDF]

				A D Murray, R T Staff, T W Redpath, F J Gilbert, A K Ah-See, J A Brookes, I D Miller, and S Payne Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI of the axilla in women with breast cancer: comparison with pathology of excised nodes Br. J. Radiol., March 1, 2002; 75(891): 220 - 228. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. T. Yang, C. Metreweli, P. K. W. Lam, and J. Chang Benign and Malignant Breast Masses and Axillary Nodes: Evaluation with Echo-enhanced Color Power Doppler US Radiology, September 1, 2001; 220(3): 795 - 802. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Yancik, M. N. Wesley, L. A. G. Ries, R. J. Havlik, B. K. Edwards, and J. W. Yates Effect of Age and Comorbidity in Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Patients Aged 55 Years and Older JAMA, February 21, 2001; 285(7): 885 - 892. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]