OBJECTIVE

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) represents the gold standard for axillary surgical staging. The aim of this study was to assess the proportion of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) that could be avoided after retrospective application of the criteria and to evaluate the shortterm complications associated with axillary surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed breast cancer (BC) patients treated by primary breast-conserving surgery from 2012 to 2015. The percentage of SLNB vs ALND performed before and after the application of the criteria was calculated. Complications were analyzed using crosstabs, with <0.05 considered significant.

RESULTS

Two hundred fifty one patients with a median age of 59.3 years were included. BC tumors had a median size of 13 mm and were mostly unifocal (83.9%). There were 30.3% with 1-2 metastatic lymph nodes (MLN). ALND was performed in 44.2%. The patients with 1-2 MLN, had only SLNB in 14.5% of cases. By applying the criteria, ALND would have been avoided in 40.2% of patients. At least one postoperative complication was reported after SLNB or ALND for 45.7% and 74.7% of patients respectively. Seroma was the most frequent complication, and occurred in 29.3% of cases after SLNB and in 59.5% after ALND.

CONCLUSION

SNLB is the most commonly used axillary surgical staging procedure in this series (55.8%). With a retrospective application of the criteria in our population, ALND could have been avoided for 40.2% patients. Post-operative complications rate was higher after ALND, with a seroma rate at 59.5%.