Annals of surgical oncology
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Knowledge of regional lymph node involvement is important in patients with recurrent breast cancer for obtaining better locoregional control and predicting prognosis. To determine technical feasibility, validity, aberrant drainage rates, and clinical consequences of performing repeat sentinel node biopsy (SNB) in patients with locally recurrent breast cancer we conducted the "Sentinel Node and Recurrent Breast Cancer (SNARB)" study. ⋯ Repeat SNB is technically feasible and provides reliable results in patients with locally recurrent breast cancer, leading to change in management in 1 of 6 patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Complete axillary lymph node dissection versus clinical follow-up in breast cancer patients with sentinel node micrometastasis: final results from the multicenter clinical trial AATRM 048/13/2000.
It has been suggested that selective sentinel node (SN) biopsy alone can be used to manage early breast cancer, but definite evidence to support this notion is lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate whether refraining from completion axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) suffices to produce the same prognostic information and disease control as proceeding with completion ALND in early breast cancer patients showing micrometastasis at SN biopsy. ⋯ Our results strongly suggest that in early breast cancer patients with SN micrometastasis, selective SN lymphadenectomy suffices to control locoregional and distant disease, with no significant effects on survival.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study Controlled Clinical Trial
Minimally invasive inguinal lymph node dissection (MILND) for melanoma: experience from two academic centers.
Regional lymph nodes are the most frequent site of spread of metastatic melanoma. Operative intervention remains the only potential for cure, but the reported morbidity rate associated with inguinal lymphadenectomy is approximately 50%. Minimally invasive lymph node dissection (MILND) is an alternative approach to traditional, open inguinal lymph node dissection (OILND). The aim of this study is to evaluate our early experience with MILND and compare this with our OILND experience. ⋯ MILND for melanoma is a novel alternative to OILND, and our preliminary data suggest that MILND provides an equivalent lymphadenectomy while minimizing the severity of postoperative complications. Further research will need to be conducted to determine if the oncologic outcomes are similar.
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Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) occur sporadically, after prior radiation therapy (RT), or in association with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). It is controversial whether patients with NF1-associated MPNST have worse outcomes. We investigated the prognostic significance of sporadic, NF1-associated, and RT-induced MPNST. ⋯ Margin status and size remain the most important predictors of DSS in patients with MPNST. NF1-associated and sporadic MPNSTs may be associated with improved DSS compared with RT-induced tumors.
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Surgical resection is the only method for curative treatment of biliary tract cancer (BTC). Recently, an improved efficacy has been revealed in patients with initially unresectable locally advanced BTC to improve the prognosis by the advent of useful cancer chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of downsizing chemotherapy in patients with initially unresectable locally advanced BTC. ⋯ Preoperative chemotherapy enables the downsizing of initially unresectable locally advanced BTC, with radical resection made possible in a certain proportion of patients. Downsizing chemotherapy should be proactively carried out as a multidisciplinary treatment strategy for patients with initially unresectable locally advanced BTC with the aim of expanding the surgical indication.