Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Patients With Early-Stage Breast Cancer Update

Purpose

To provide current recommendations on the use of sentinel node biopsy (SNB) for patients with early-stage breast cancer.

Methods

PubMed and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and clinical practice guidelines from 2012 through July 2016. An Update Panel reviewed the identified abstracts.

Results

Of the eight publications identified and reviewed, none prompted a change in the 2014 recommendations, which are reaffirmed by the updated literature review.

Recommendations

Women without sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastases should not receive axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Women with one to two metastatic SLNs who are planning to undergo breast-conserving surgery with whole-breast radiotherapy should not undergo ALND (in most cases). Women with SLN metastases who will undergo mastectomy should be offered ALND. These three recommendations are based on randomized controlled trials. Women with operable breast cancer and multicentric tumors, with ductal carcinoma in situ, who will undergo mastectomy, who previously underwent breast and/or axillary surgery, or who received preoperative/neoadjuvant systemic therapy may be offered SNB. Women who have large or locally advanced invasive breast cancer (tumor size T3/T4), inflammatory breast cancer, or ductal carcinoma in situ (when breast-conserving surgery is planned) or are pregnant should not undergo SNB.

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