Faculty Collaboration Database

Predictors of invasive breast cancer in patients with an initial diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ: a guide to selective use of sentinel lymph node biopsy in management of ductal carcinoma in situ. J Am Coll Surg 2005 Apr;200(4):516-26

Date

04/05/2005

Pubmed ID

15804465

DOI

10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2004.11.012

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-20144387446 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   264 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The role of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in patients with an initial diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has not been well defined. The purpose of our study was to determine when the risk of finding invasive disease on final pathology in patients with an initial diagnosis of DCIS was sufficiently high to justify use of SLNB.

STUDY DESIGN: The records of 398 consecutive patients from our prospective database with an initial diagnosis of DCIS, treated between July 1999 and December 2002, were analyzed. Associations between clinical and pathologic factors and patient selection for SLNB and outcomes were analyzed for significance using univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS: Of the 398 patients, 80 (20%) were found to have invasive disease on final pathology. Multivariate analysis revealed 4 independent predictors of invasive cancer on final pathology: 55 years of age or younger (odds ratio [OR], 2.19; p = 0.024), diagnosis by core-needle biopsy (OR, 3.76; p = 0.006), mammographic DCIS size of at least 4 cm (OR, 2.92; p = 0.001), and high-grade DCIS (OR, 3.06; p = 0.002). A total of 141 patients (35%) underwent SLNB as a component of their initial operation. Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of comedonecrosis (OR, 2.69; p = 0.007) and larger mammographic DCIS size (OR, 1.18; p = 0.0002) were independent predictors of patients' undergoing SLNB. Of these 141 patients, 103 (73%) were diagnosed by core-needle biopsy, 42 (30%) had invasive disease on final pathology, and 14 (10%) had a positive sentinel lymph node: 12 (86%) by hematoxylin and eosin staining and 2 by immunohistochemistry. The only independent predictor of a positive SLN was the presence of a palpable tumor (OR, 4.28, p = 0.042). Of these 14 patients with a positive sentinel node, only 11 (79%) had invasive cancer on final pathology.

CONCLUSIONS: SLNB should not be performed routinely for all patients with an initial diagnosis of DCIS. Risks and benefits of SLNB should be discussed with patients who are younger, are diagnosed by core-needle biopsy, or have large or high-grade DCIS.

Author List

Yen TW, Hunt KK, Ross MI, Mirza NQ, Babiera GV, Meric-Bernstam F, Singletary SE, Symmans WF, Giordano SH, Feig BW, Ames FC, Kuerer HM

Author

Tina W F Yen MD, MS Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Breast Neoplasms
Carcinoma in Situ
Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast
Chi-Square Distribution
Female
Humans
Logistic Models
Lymph Nodes
Lymphatic Metastasis
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Invasiveness
Predictive Value of Tests
Prognosis
Prospective Studies
Radionuclide Imaging
Risk Factors
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
Statistics, Nonparametric