Tuesday 7 February 2012

Re-evaluating the role of axillary lymph node dissection in screen-detected breast cancer patients

Re-evaluating the role of axillary lymph node dissection in screen-detected breast cancer patients. The Breast, Vol. 21(1), Feb 2012, p. 58-60.

Barry, M. & Kell, M.R.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960977611001640

The American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG), Z0011 trial, demonstrated that there was no therapeutic benefit from completion lymphadenectomy in early stage breast cancer patients with positive sentinel node (SLN) biopsy. Patients with asymptomatic screen-detected tumors may represent a subgroup where completion axillary dissection with its attendant morbidities is unacceptable. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the role of ALND in an asymptomatic screen-detected breast cancer cohort.