Is imaging the future of axillary staging in breast cancer?

TY - JOUR

T1 - Is imaging the future of axillary staging in breast cancer?

AU - Ahmed, Muneer

AU - Usiskin, Sasha I

AU - Hall-Craggs, Margaret A

AU - Douek, Michael

PY - 2014/2

Y1 - 2014/2

N2 - Axillary management in patients with breast cancer has become much less invasive with the introduction of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). However, over 70 % of SLNBs are negative, questioning the generic use of this invasive procedure. Emerging evidence indicates that breast cancer patients with a low axillary burden of disease do not benefit from axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Non-invasive techniques such as paramagnetic iron oxide contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may provide genuine alternatives to axillary staging and should be evaluated within clinical trials. Selective axillary surgery could then be offered based on imaging findings and for therapeutic intent. This non-operative approach would reduce morbidity further and facilitate interpretation of follow-up imaging.

AB - Axillary management in patients with breast cancer has become much less invasive with the introduction of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). However, over 70 % of SLNBs are negative, questioning the generic use of this invasive procedure. Emerging evidence indicates that breast cancer patients with a low axillary burden of disease do not benefit from axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Non-invasive techniques such as paramagnetic iron oxide contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may provide genuine alternatives to axillary staging and should be evaluated within clinical trials. Selective axillary surgery could then be offered based on imaging findings and for therapeutic intent. This non-operative approach would reduce morbidity further and facilitate interpretation of follow-up imaging.

U2 - 10.1007/s00330-013-3009-5

DO - 10.1007/s00330-013-3009-5

M3 - Article

SN - 0938-7994

VL - 24

SP - 288

EP - 293

JO - European Radiology

JF - European Radiology

IS - 2

M1 - N/A

ER -