Clinical oncology : a journal of the Royal College of Radiologists
-
Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) · Nov 2008
Selective axillary node sampling and radiotherapy to the axilla in the management of breast cancer.
Axillary treatment for patients with early-stage breast cancer can be associated with considerable morbidity. Techniques, such as axillary node sampling (ANS) and, more recently, sentinel node biopsy, in combination with radiotherapy have the potential to reduce toxicity. A retrospective review of axillary treatment in patients with early-stage breast cancer treated at our institution between 1997 and 2003 was carried out to assess the outcome and morbidity of ANS in combination with radiotherapy. ⋯ Selective ANS with the removal of a minimum of four nodes guides optimal locoregional treatment with good local control rates, low overall morbidity and may obviate the need for a second surgical procedure.