Axillary Nodal Burden in Breast Cancer Patients With Pre-operative Fine Needle Aspiration-proven Positive Lymph Nodes Compared to Those With Positive Sentinel Nodes

BACKGROUND/AIM: Recent years have seen a considerable shift to a more conservative management of the axilla in patients with positive axillary sentinel lymph nodes. The aim of this study was to determine whether some breast cancer patients with a preoperative ultrasound-guided needle aspiration biopsy proven positive node could potentially be spared an axillary lymph node dissection according to the ACOSOG Z0011 trial criteria. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed involving 623 breast cancer patients who underwent axillary lymph node dissection after either ultrasound-guided needle aspiration biopsy proven positive node or sentinel lymph node biopsy. RESULTS: Patients with fine needle aspiration biopsy-proven positive node had worse prognosis and a higher nodal burden (6.7 vs 1.9 nodes, p<0.001), compared to those with positive sentinel lymph nodes. CONCLUSION: Patients with an ultrasound guided needle aspiration biopsy proven positive node are more likely to have tumor with more aggressive pathological characteristics and a higher nodal burden than those with a positive sentinel lymph node biopsy.