Results of tailored treatment for breast cancer patients with internal mammary lymph node metastases

Abstract Although the internal mammary (IM) lymph node status is a major prognostic factor in breast cancer, IM nodal staging is not common practice. In order to improve nodal staging, we have routinely performed IM sentinel node (SN) biopsy and have adjusted adjuvant treatment accordingly. We revie...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Breast (Edinburgh) 2009-08, Vol.18 (4), p.254-258
Main Authors: Heuts, E.M, van der Ent, F.W.C, Hulsewé, K.W.E, von Meyenfeldt, M.F, Voogd, A.C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adjuvant therapy
Adult
Algorithms
Axilla - pathology
Breast cancer
Breast Neoplasms - mortality
Breast Neoplasms - pathology
Breast Neoplasms - surgery
Breast Neoplasms - therapy
Combined Modality Therapy
Disease-Free Survival
Female
Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine
Humans
Internal mammary metastases
Internal mammary sentinel node biopsy
Lymph Nodes - diagnostic imaging
Lymph Nodes - pathology
Lymphatic Metastasis
Mammary Glands, Human - pathology
Multivariate Analysis
Neoplasm Staging
Outcome
Prognosis
Radionuclide Imaging
Retrospective Studies
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy - methods
Treatment Outcome
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Summary:Abstract Although the internal mammary (IM) lymph node status is a major prognostic factor in breast cancer, IM nodal staging is not common practice. In order to improve nodal staging, we have routinely performed IM sentinel node (SN) biopsy and have adjusted adjuvant treatment accordingly. We reviewed the outcome of these patients. Data from 764 patients were available for follow-up. A total of 406 patients had no lymph node metastases (group 1), 330 patients had axillary metastases (group 2), 7 patients had IM metastases only (group 3) and 21 patients had both axillary and IM metastases (group 4). Mean follow-up was 46 months. Prognosis did not appear to be worse for patients with IM metastases compared to those with axillary metastases only, which might indicate that they benefit from improved staging and tailored adjuvant treatment algorithms. However, long-term follow-up data, preferably in larger series, are needed to support our findings.
ISSN:0960-9776
1532-3080
DOI:10.1016/j.breast.2009.05.003