Examining the false-negative rate of a negative axillary node ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy in breast cancer patients undergoing upfront surgery. Am J Surg 2024 Oct 24;239:116047
Date
11/01/2024Pubmed ID
39481279DOI
10.1016/j.amjsurg.2024.116047Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85207766054 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)Abstract
BACKGROUND: Axillary assessment in breast cancer is key to determining an upfront surgery or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) approach. We investigated the false-negative rate (FNR) of axillary-node ultrasound-guided core-needle biopsy (US-CNBx) and the surgical management of pN + patients.
METHODS: This single-institution study from 2010 to 2020 included patients with benign findings on US-CNBx and upfront surgery. Statistical analyses were performed via t-tests and chi-squared tests.
RESULTS: 95 axillae met inclusion, 23 were pN+, resulting in a US-CNBx FNR of 24.2 %. pN + patients more frequently had cT2-T3 tumors vs pN0 patients (43.5 % vs 27.8 %, p = 0.03). Of the 23 pN + patients, 9 underwent breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and 14 underwent mastectomy. In those with BCS, 7 had 1-2 positive nodes, 2 had ≥3 nodes; 3 received an ALND. In those with mastectomies, 12 had 1-2 positive nodes, 2 had ≥3 positive nodes; 6 received an ALND.
CONCLUSION: In this cohort, US-CNBx had a FNR of 24.2 %. pN + patients had a greater frequency of cT2-cT3 tumors, therefore clinicians should be cognizant of potential occult nodal disease despite negative CNBx when deciding management.
Author List
Rogers C, Zeien S, Puccetti K, Jorns JM, Kong AL, Cherian S, Cortina CSAuthors
Chandler S. Cortina MD Associate Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of WisconsinJulie M. Jorns MD Professor in the Pathology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Amanda L. Kong MD, MS Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
