Role of patient and tumor characteristics in sentinel lymph node metastasis in patients with luminal early breast cancer: an observational study

• Published in: SpringerPlus 2016-02, Vol.5 (1), p.114-114, Article 114
• Main Authors: La Verde, Nicla, Biagioli, Elena, Gerardi, Chiara, Cordovana, Andrea, Casiraghi, Chiara, Floriani, Irene, Bernardin, Elena, Farina, Gabriella, Di Cosimo, Serena, Dazzani, Maria Chiara, Gherardi, Giorgio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Breast Cancer; Humanities and Social Sciences; Medicine; multidisciplinary; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2193-1801; 2193-1801
• DOI: 10.1186/s40064-016-1720-9

Predicting the risk of sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis is important for clinical decision-making in the setting of early breast cancer (EBC). This study is aimed to identify tumor and patient characteristics that influenced the SLN metastatic involvement, with a focus on luminal subtypes. An observational study including women treated for EBC from 2005 to 2013 was conducted. Regression analyses were used to assess the association between SLN metastasis and age, menopausal status, tumor size, histological grading, presence of extensive “in situ” carcinoma components, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and expression of Ki-67, hormone receptors, and HER2. Of 345 women, 84 (24.3 %) had at least one SLN metastasis; 63.1 % were macrometastases. Among all patients, 31.6 % exhibited LVI. In univariate analyses, tumor size, histological grade, and LVI were associated with SLN metastasis. The multivariate model confirmed only the association between LVI and SLN status (OR 3.27, 95 % CI 1.85–5.68; p