Aims: Sentinel lymph node (SN) biopsy has been validated in the treatment of breast carcinoma. Patients with previous excisional biopsy are regarded as ineligible for SN biopsy. We evaluated the results of SN biopsy for this group of patients based on confirmatory axillary lymph node dissection.
Patients and methods: From April 1997 all 88 patients with stage T(1-3) breast cancer who had previously undergone diagnostic excisional biopsy followed by complete axillary lymph node dissection, were enrolled into a prospective study to determine the validity of the sentinel node procedure.
Results: Lymphoscintigraphy visualized one or more axillary hot spots in 84/88 patients. A successful SN biopsy was performed in 87 patients. Complete axillary lymph-node dissection showed no false-negative SN biopsy among the 87 SN procedures.
Conclusion: SN biopsy is a reliable and safe method following excisional biopsy as is confirmed by completion axillary lymph node dissection. Therefore, patients with previous excisional biopsy are eligible for sentinel node procedure and can be spared unnecessary axillary lymph node dissection.