Predictive Factors for Non-sentinel Nodal Metastasis in Patients With Sentinel Lymph Node-positive Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND

Axillary dissection is routinely conducted for all patients with sentinel node (SN)-positive breast cancer. Metastasis to non SNs is not often found after axillary dissection in patients with SN-positive breast cancer. Thus, we investigated clinicopathological features, including immune cells in peripheral blood, in order to identify factors related to metastasis to non-SNs.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively investigated 184 patients with SN-positive disease, treated at our institution during the 2013 through 2018 period. All clinicopathological data were obtained before and during surgery.

RESULTS

Metastasis to non SNs was observed in 64 cases (35%). The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and the number of SN metastases were independent of metastasis to non SNs (p=0.023 and p=0.017, respectively). Patients with metastasis to non SNs had significantly lower PLR and more SN metastases. High lymphocyte number and low platelet number resulted in a low PLR.

CONCLUSION

PLR might be a marker of metastasis to non SNs.