Nonpalpable infiltrative breast cancer: concomitant use of radioguided occult lesion localization and sentinel lymph node biopsy - Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia

PURPOSE: to assess the simultaneous approach of radioguided occult lesion localization and sentinel lymph node biopsy in women with breast cancer. METHOD: forty-five patients with nonpalpable breast cancer were enrolled in a prospective study. The employed radiocolloid was 99mTc-labelled dextran. The injection was performed peritumorally under sonographic or stereotactic guidance using a 18 gauge needle. Lymphoscintigraph images for the visualization of both the site of injection and sentinel lymph node were obtained in a conventional gamma-camera, with the ipsilateral arm positioned in a 90º angle. Excision biopsy of the tumor and sentinel lymph node were performed with a gamma-detecting probe. RESULTS: the procedure was always successful in permitting the localization of occult breast lesions. It was necessary to enlarge surgical margins in five cases. Concerning the sentinel lymph node we achieved localization in 93% of the cases. No complications were observed. CONCLUSION: the results seems to demonstrate that a combined radioguided occult lesion localization and sentinel lymph node biopsy using the same radiopharmaceutical represents a useful and practicable strategy in the management of early breast cancer.