[Sentinel lymph node metastasis in patients with ductal breast carcinoma in situ].

BACKGROUND

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ still controversial, with positive lymph node in range of 1.4-12.5% due occult invasive breast carcinoma in surgical specimen.

OBJECTIVE

To know the frequency of sentimel node metastases in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ, identify differences between positive and negative cases.

METHODS

Retrospective study of patients with ductal carcinoma in situ treated with sentinel lymph node biopsy because mastectomy indication, palpable tumor, radiological lesion = 5 cm, non-favorable breast-tumor relation and/or patients whom surgery could affect lymphatic flow drainage.

RESULTS

Of 168 in situ carcinomas, 50 cases with ductal carcinoma in situ and sentinel lymph node biopsy were included, with a mean age of 51.6 years, 30 (60%) asymptomatic. The most common symptoms were palpable nodule (18%), nipple discharge (12%), or both (8%). Microcalcifications were common (72%), comedonecrosis pattern (62%), grade-2 histology (44%), and 28% negative hormonal receptors. Four (8%) cases had intra-operatory positive sentinel lymph node and one patient at final histo-pathological study (60% micrometastases, 40% macrometastases), all with invasive carcinoma in surgical specimen. Patients with intra-operatory positive sentinel lymph node where younger (44.5 vs 51 years), with more palpable tumors (50% vs 23.1%), and bigger (3.5 vs 2 cm), more comedonecrosis pattern (75% vs 60.8%), more indifferent tumors (75% vs 39.1%), and less cases with hormonal receptors (50% vs 73.9%), compared with negative sentinel lymph node cases, all these differences without statistic significance.

CONCLUSIONS

One of each 12 patients with ductal carcinoma in situ had affection in sentinel lymph node, so we recommend continue doing this procedure to avoid second surgeries due the presence of occult invasive carcinoma.