Feasibility of Omitting Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in an Under-screened Cohort of Breast Cancer Patients With a Premastectomy Diagnosis of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ

Jinnie Pang; Zhiyan Yan; Qing Ting Tan; John C Allen; Mingjia Wang; Geok Hoon Lim

doi:10.1016/j.clbc.2024.02.002

Feasibility of Omitting Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in an Under-screened Cohort of Breast Cancer Patients With a Premastectomy Diagnosis of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ

Clin Breast Cancer. 2024 Feb 5:S1526-8209(24)00040-5. doi: 10.1016/j.clbc.2024.02.002. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Jinnie Pang¹, Zhiyan Yan², Qing Ting Tan², John C Allen³, Mingjia Wang⁴, Geok Hoon Lim⁵

Affiliations

¹ Breast Department, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore. Electronic address: jinnie.pang.sy@singhealth.com.sg.
² Breast Department, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore.
³ Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.
⁴ NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore.
⁵ Breast Department, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore; Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.

PMID: 38458843
DOI: 10.1016/j.clbc.2024.02.002

Abstract

Background: Nodal involvement in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is rare. In patients with DCIS diagnosis prior to mastectomy, a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is usually performed during mastectomy, to avoid the risk of reoperation and the non-identification of SLN subsequently, should there be an upgrade to invasive cancer. We aimed to study the feasibility of omitting SLNB in an under-screened cohort, with mostly symptomatic patients and DCIS diagnosis before mastectomy, by determining the upgrade rate to invasive cancer/ DCIS microinvasion (DCISM) and its associated risk factors.

Methods: Patients with pure DCIS diagnosis premastectomy were reviewed retrospectively. Patients with known DCISM or invasive cancer before mastectomy and bilateral cancers were excluded. Patients' demographics, radiological and pathological data premastectomy were analyzed.

Results: A total of 189 patients were included. The mean age was 53.8 (range: 29-85) years old. About 64.4% presented with symptoms. 36.0% and 15.3% upgraded to invasive cancer and DCISM on mastectomy respectively. Palpable tumor (P = .0036), large size on ultrasound (P = .0283), tumor seen on mammogram and ultrasound (P = .0082), ultrasound-guided biopsy (P < .0001), high-grade DCIS on biopsy (P = .0350) and no open biopsy/lumpectomy before mastectomy (P < .0001) were associated with the upgrade, with the latter factor remaining significant after multivariable analysis. Nodal involvement was 8.47% and was associated with invasive cancer (P < .0001).

Conclusion: In a cohort who had DCIS diagnosis before mastectomy and were mostly symptomatic, the upgrade rate was 51.3%. Despite the high upgrade rate, nodal involvement remained comparable. Risk factors could select patients for omission of upfront SLNB, with a delayed SLNB planned if needed.

Keywords: Mammography screening; Mastectomy; Metastatic axillary nodes; Microinvasive cancer; Upgrade to invasive cancer,.