Axillary nodal metastasis and resection margins as predictors of Loco Regional Recurrence in Breast Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND

Surgical resection margins (RM), axillary nodal involvement and lymph node ratio (LNR) determine loco-regional control (LRC) in breast cancer management. Late presentation precludes breast conservation therefore surgical option is usually mastectomy and adjuvant chemoradiation minimize loco-regional recurrence (LRR).

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the prognostic role of lymph nodes positive for malignancy (pN), LNR and RM on LRR of breast cancer in a tertiary hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria.

METHODS

Longitudinal cohort study of 225 females with breast carcinoma managed and followed up for 5-years with end point of LRR or not. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate the interaction of resection margin and proportion of metastatic lymph nodes with LRR. The receiver-operator curve was plotted to determine the proportion of metastatic lymph nodes which predicted LRR.

RESULTS

Ninety-nine percent had modified radical mastectomy and 163 (72.4%) had negative resection margins. A mean of 11 axillary lymph nodes were harvested at surgery. The age, positive resection margin and number of harvested nodes with malignant cells are associated with LRR. The overall 5-year LRR rate was 16%.

CONCLUSION

LRR is dependent on lymph node involvement as well as and tumor aggressiveness.