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IMPORTANCE: Data on oncological outcomes after omission of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in patients with breast cancer that downstages from node positive to negative with neoadjuvant chemotherapy are sparse. Additionally, the best axillary surgical staging technique in this scenario is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate oncological outcomes after sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) with dual-tracer mapping or targeted axillary dissection (TAD), which combines SLNB with localization and retrieval of the clipped lymph node. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this multicenter retrospective cohort study that was conducted at 25 centers in 11 countries, 1144 patients with consecutive stage II to III biopsy-proven node-positive breast cancer were included between April 2013 and December 2020. The cumulative incidence rates of axillary, locoregional, and any invasive (locoregional or distant) recurrence were determined by competing risk analysis. EXPOSURE: Omission of ALND after SLNB or TAD. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary end points were the 3-year and 5-year rates of any axillary recurrence. Secondary end points included locoregional recurrence, any invasive (locoregional and distant) recurrence, and the number of lymph nodes removed. RESULTS: A total of 1144 patients (median [IQR] age, 50 [41-59] years; 78 [6.8%] Asian, 105 [9.2%] Black, 102 [8.9%] Hispanic, and 816 [71.0%] White individuals; 666 SLNB [58.2%] and 478 TAD [41.8%]) were included. A total of 1060 patients (93%) had N1 disease, 619 (54%) had ERBB2 (formerly HER2)–positive illness, and 758 (66%) had a breast pathologic complete response. TAD patients were more likely to receive nodal radiation therapy (85% vs 78%; P = .01). The clipped node was successfully retrieved in 97% of TAD cases and 86% of SLNB cases (without localization). The mean (SD) number of sentinel lymph nodes retrieved was 3 (2) vs 4 (2) (P < .001), and the mean (SD) number of total lymph nodes removed was 3.95 (1.97) vs 4.44 (2.04) (P < .001) in the TAD and SLNB groups, respectively. The 5-year rates of any axillary, locoregional, and any invasive recurrence in the entire cohort were 1.0% (95% CI, 0.49%-2.0%), 2.7% (95% CI, 1.6%-4.1%), and 10% (95% CI, 8.3%-13%), respectively. The 3-year cumulative incidence of axillary recurrence did not differ between TAD and SLNB (0.5% vs 0.8%; P = .55). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The results of this cohort study showed that axillary recurrence was rare in this setting and was not significantly lower after TAD vs SLNB. These results support omission of ALND in this population.

IMPORTANCE: Higher lymphedema rates after axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) have been found in Black and Hispanic women; however, there is poor correlation between subjective symptoms, quality of life (QOL), and measured lymphedema. Additionally, racial and ethnic differences in QOL have been understudied. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of race and ethnicity with long-term QOL in patients with breast cancer treated with ALND. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study enrolled women aged 18 years and older with breast cancer who underwent unilateral ALND at a tertiary cancer center between November 2016 and March 2020. Preoperatively and at 6-month intervals, arm volume was measured by perometer and QOL was assessed using the Upper Limb Lymphedema-27 (ULL-27) questionnaire, a validated tool for assessing lymphedema that evaluates how arm symptoms affect physical, psychological, and social functioning. Data were analyzed from November 2016 to October 2023. EXPOSURES: Breast surgery and unilateral ALND in the primary setting or after sentinel lymph node biopsy. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Scores in each domain of the ULL-27 were compared by race and ethnicity. Factors impacting QOL were identified using multivariable regression analyses. RESULTS: The study included 281 women (median [IQR] age, 48 [41-58] years) with breast cancer who underwent unilateral ALND and had at least 6 months of follow-up. Of these, 30 patients (11%) self-identified as Asian individuals, 57 (20%) as Black individuals, 23 (8%) as Hispanic individuals, and 162 (58%) as White individuals; 9 individuals (3%) who did not identify as part of a particular group or who were missing race and ethnicity data were categorized as having unknown race and ethnicity. Median (IQR) follow-up was 2.97 (1.96-3.67) years. The overall 2-year lymphedema rate was 20% and was higher among Black (31%) and Hispanic (27%) women compared with Asian (15%) and White (17%) women (P = .04). Subjective arm swelling was more common among Asian (57%), Black (70%), and Hispanic (87%) women than White (44%) women (P < .001), and lower physical QOL scores were reported by racial and ethnic minority women at nearly every follow-up. For example, at 24 months, median QOL scores were 87, 79, and 80 for Asian, Black, and Hispanic women compared with 92 for White women (P = .003). On multivariable analysis, Asian race (β = –5.7; 95% CI, −9.5 to −1.8), Hispanic ethnicity (β = –10.0; 95% CI, −15.0 to −5.2), and having Medicaid (β = −5.4; 95% CI, −9.2 to −1.7) or Medicare insurance (β = −6.9; 95% CI, −10.0 to −3.4) were independently associated with worse physical QOL (all P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Findings of this cohort study suggest that Asian, Black, and Hispanic women experience more subjective arm swelling after unilateral ALND for breast cancer compared with White women. Black and Hispanic women had higher rates of objective lymphedema than their White counterparts. Both minority status and public medical insurance were associated with worse physical QOL. Understanding disparities in QOL after ALND is an unmet need and may enable targeted interventions to improve QOL for these patients.

Core needle biopsy (CNB) of breast lesions is routine for diagnosis and treatment planning. Despite refinement of diagnostic criteria, the diagnosis of breast lesions on CNB can be challenging. At many centers, including ours, confirmation of diagnoses rendered in other laboratories is required before treatment planning. We identified CNBs first diagnosed elsewhere that were reviewed in our department over the course of 1 year because the patients sought care at our center and in which a change in diagnosis had been recorded. The outside and in-house CNB diagnoses were then classified based on Breast WHO Fifth Edition diagnostic categories. The impact of the change in diagnosis was estimated based on the subsequent surgical management. Findings in follow-up surgical excisions (EXCs) were used for validation. In 2018, 4950 outside cases with CNB were reviewed at our center. A total of 403 CNBs diagnoses were discrepant. Of these, 147 had a change in the WHO diagnostic category: 80 (54%) CNBs had a more severe diagnosis and 44 (30%) a less severe diagnosis. In 23 (16%) CNBs, the change of diagnostic category had no impact on management. Intraductal proliferations (n=54), microinvasive carcinoma (n=18), and papillary lesions (n=35) were the most disputed diagnoses. The in-house CNB diagnosis was confirmed in most cases with available excisions. Following CNB reclassification, 22/147 (15%) lesions were not excised. A change affecting the surgical management at our center occurred in 2.5% of all CNBs. Our results support routine review of outside breast CNB as a clinically significant practice before definitive treatment.

Background Few studies have evaluated the association between patient decision involvement and surgery received among racially and ethnically diverse patients or patients' attitudes about surgery and the role of family and friends in surgical treatment choices. Methods Women diagnosed with nonmetastatic breast cancer from June 2005 through February 2007 and reported to the Los Angeles or Detroit Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registries were mailed a survey after diagnosis (N = 3133). Latina and African American women were oversampled. The response rate was 72.4%. The analytic sample (N = 1651) excluded those with stage IliA or higher disease, self-reported clinical contraindications to breast-conserving surgery with radiation, and unclear race or ethnicity. The dependent variable was receipt of mastectomy initially. The primary independent variables were patient involvement in decision making, race or ethnicity, attitudes about recurrence, the effects of radiation, the impact of surgery on body image, and the role of others in decision making. Latinas were categorized as low or high acculturated. The association between patient involvement in decision making and the receipt of mastectomy was evaluated using logistic regression while controlling for other independent variables. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results The analytic sample was 23.9% Latina (12.0% low acculturated, 11.9% high acculturated), 27.1% African American, and 48.9% white, and 17.2% received a mastectomy initially. For each racial or ethnic group, more women who reported a patient-based decision received mastectomy than those who reported a shared or surgeon-based decision (P = .022 for low-acculturated Latinas, P< .001 for other groups). Women who reported that concerns about recurrence or radiation effects were very important in their surgery decision were more likely to receive mastectomy than those less concerned (for recurrence concerns, estimated relative risk [RR] = 1.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.28 to 2.10; for radiation concerns, estimated RR = 2.35, 95% CI = 1.88 to 2.85). Women who reported that body image concerns and their spouse's opinion were very important in their surgery decision less often received mastectomy than those less concerned about body image or who placed less weight on their spouse's opinion (for body image concerns, estimated RR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.30 to 0.74; for spouse's opinion, estimated RR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.36 to 0.78). Conclusion Greater patient involvement in decision making was associated with receipt of mastectomy for all racial and ethnic groups. Patient attitudes about surgery and the opinions of family and friends contribute to surgical choices made by women with breast cancer.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2009.06.007 Byline: Matthew S. Pugliese, Michelle M. Stempel, Hiram S. Cody, Monica Morrow, Mary L. Gemignani Keywords: Intramammary lymph nodes; Completion axillary lymph node dissection; Axillary lymph node dissection; Sentinel lymph node biopsy; Sentinel lymph node; CALND; ALND; SLN Abstract: The therapeutic significance of intramammary lymph nodes is uncertain. The purpose of this study was to identify the appropriate surgical management of the axilla in intramammary node-positive patients undergoing sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy. Author Affiliation: Breast Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA Article History: Received 24 March 2009; Revised 14 June 2009

IMPORTANCE: Risk factors for breast cancer–related lymphedema (BCRL) after axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) are poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate rates of and risk factors associated with BCRL in a prospective cohort of women treated with ALND. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This prospective BCRL screening study performed at a tertiary cancer center enrolled women with breast cancer 18 years and older undergoing breast surgery and unilateral ALND in the primary setting or after sentinel lymph node biopsy. EXPOSURES: Risk of BCRL during the first 2 years after ALND and radiotherapy. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Patients were prospectively evaluated with arm volume (perometer) measurements, and BCRL was defined as a relative volume change of 10% or greater from baseline. Cumulative incidence of BCRL was assessed using competing risk analysis. Risk factors for BCRL were assessed on univariate and multivariable analyses. RESULTS: From November 2016 to March 2020, 304 patients were enrolled; 276 had at least 1 longitudinal measurement. Median (IQR) age was 48 (40-57) years; median (IQR) body mass index, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, was 26.4 (22.5-31.2). Of the 276 patients included in the analysis, 29 (11%) self-identified as Asian, 55 (20%) as Black, 16 (6%) as Hispanic, 166 (60%) as White, and 10 (3%) as unknown race and ethnicity; 70% received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC); 93% received nodal irradiation. The 24-month BCRL rate was 23.8% (95% CI, 17.9%-29.8%), with significant variation by race and ethnicity (24-month rate: 37.2% [Black], 27.7% [Hispanic], 22.5% [Asian], and 19.8% [White]; P = .004). The BCRL rates were also higher among patients receiving NAC vs up-front surgery (24-month rate: 29.3% vs 11.1%; P = .01). On multivariable analysis, Black race and Hispanic ethnicity (compared with White race) (odds ratio [OR], 3.88; 95% CI, 2.14-7.08 and OR, 3.01; 95% CI, 1.10-7.62, respectively; P &lt; .001 for each), receipt of NAC (compared with up-front surgery) (OR, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.16-3.95; P = .01), older age (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02-1.07 per 1-year increase; P = .001), and a longer follow-up interval (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.30-1.90 per 6-month increase; P &lt; .001) were independently associated with an increased risk of BCRL, while ERBB2-positive subtype was associated with a decreased risk of BCRL (compared with hormone receptor positive/ERBB2 negative): OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.23-0.99; P = .04). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: In this cohort study, Black race, Hispanic ethnicity, NAC receipt, older age, and longer follow-up were independently associated with risk of BCRL. Studies are warranted to evaluate the biologic mechanisms behind racial and ethnic disparities in BCRL development and alternatives to NAC to avoid ALND in tumor subtypes unlikely to achieve nodal pathologic complete response.

Background: Ductal lavage has the potential to detect cancer by sampling breast epithelium in asymptomatic high-risk women. To assess the utility of ductal lavage as a cancer diagnostic test, we investigated the association between ductal lavage cytologic findings and histologic findings in women with known breast cancer undergoing mastectomy. Methods: Ductal lavage was performed in the operating room before mastectomy on 44 breasts from 32 women with known cancer and on eight breasts from seven women undergoing prophylactic mastectomy, two with occult malignancy. If the ductal lavage sample from one or more ducts contained enough epithelial cells for a cytologic diagnosis, lavaged ducts were injected with a mixture of colored dye, gelatin, and a radiographic contrast compound after mastectomy, and breast tissue was radiographed and sectioned. Histologic findings in ducts with and without dye were recorded. Associations between cytologic results and histologic results were examined by univariate and multivariable analyses. Results: At least one duct was lavaged in 36 breasts (mean = 1.4 ducts per breast); all histologic and cytologic procedures were completed in 28 breasts and in 39 ducts. Markedly atypical or malignant cytology was found in five cancer-containing breasts. In 39 ducts with complete cytologic and histologic data and when marked atypia or malignant cells defined a positive cytologic test, sensitivity was 43% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 23% to 72%), specificity was 96% (95% CI = 86% to 100%), and accuracy was 77% (95% CI = 63% to 89%). When mild or marked atypia or malignant cells defined a positive cytologic test, sensitivity was 79% (95% CI = 57% to 96%), specificity was 64% (95% CI = 46% to 83%), and accuracy was 69% (95% CI = 55% to 83%). When all 31 cytologically evaluable breasts were analyzed, sensitivity was 17% (95% CI = 7% to 35%), specificity was 100% (95% CI = 5% to 100%), and accuracy was 19% (95% CI = 9% to 38%). Conclusion: In breasts with cancer, ductal lavage appears to have low sensitivity and high specificity for cancer detection, possibly because cancer. containing ducts fail to yield fluid or have benign or mildly atypical cytology.

As our understanding of the biology of breast cancer continues to improve, treatment of the disease continues to change. Although the ultimate goal of treatment remains improved survival, increasing emphasis [...]

The demonstration of the effectiveness of chemotherapy in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women, regardless of estrogen receptor (ER) status, raises the question of whether all breast cancer patients should receive chemotherapy. Several patient groups with such a favorable long-term prognosis that they will obtain an extremely small benefit from chemotherapy can be identified. They include patients with lymph node-negative tumors of 1 cm or less in size, those with grade 1 tumors between 1.1 and 2.0 cm in size, and those with tumors of favorable histologic type (tubular and mucinous) up to 3 cm in size. A patient subgroup in which it is not clear that the benefits of chemotherapy routinely exceed the risks is postmenopausal women with ER-positive, lymph node-negative cancers receiving tamoxifen. There is a wide variation in prognosis in this group, and chemotherapy should be reserved for those at high risk of recurrence. Finally, no benefit for chemotherapy in women aged 70 years and older has been identified. The high rate of death from causes other than breast cancer may negate small survival benefits, and after adjustment for quality of life, the duration of treatment exceeds the gain in life expectancy. [J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 2001;30:109-13]

IMPORTANCE: Prospective trials have demonstrated sentinel lymph node (SLN) false-negative rates of less than 10% when 3 or more SLNs are retrieved in patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer rendered clinically node-negative with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). However, rates of nodal recurrence in such patients treated with SLN biopsy (SLNB) alone are unknown because axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) was performed in all patients, limiting adoption of this approach. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate nodal recurrence rates in a consecutive cohort of patients with clinically node-positive (cN1) breast cancer receiving NAC, followed by a negative SLNB using a standardized technique, and no further axillary surgery. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: From November 2013 to February 2019, a cohort of consecutively identified patients with cT1 to cT3 biopsy-proven N1 breast cancer rendered cN0 by NAC underwent SLNB with dual tracer mapping and omission of ALND if 3 or more SLNs were identified and all were pathologically negative. Metastatic nodes were not routinely clipped, and localization of clipped nodes was not performed. The study was performed in a single tertiary cancer center. INTERVENTION: Omission of ALND in patients with cN1 breast cancer after NAC if 3 or more SLNs were pathologically negative. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was the rate of nodal recurrence among patients with cN1 breast cancer treated with SLNB alone after NAC. RESULTS: Of 610 patients with cN1 breast cancer treated with NAC, 555 (91%) converted to cN0 and underwent SLNB; 234 (42%) had 3 or more negative SLNs and had SLNB alone. The median (IQR) age of these 234 patients was 49 (40-58) years; median tumor size was 3 cm; 144 (62%) were ERBB2 (formerly HER2)-positive, and 43 (18%) were triple negative. Most (212 [91%]) received doxorubicin-based NAC; 205 (88%) received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT), and 164 (70%) also received nodal RT. At a median follow-up of 40 months, there was 1 axillary nodal recurrence synchronous with local recurrence in a patient who refused RT. Among patients who received RT (n = 205), there were no nodal recurrences. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This cohort study found that in patients with cN1 disease rendered cN0 with NAC, with 3 or more negative SLNs with SLNB alone, nodal recurrence rates were low, without routine nodal clipping. These findings potentially support omitting ALND in such patients.

To assess the efficacy of operative and nonoperative therapy of small bowel obstruction (SBO) in patients with a previous diagnosis of cancer, a review of 54 cases was carried out. The 32 men and 22 women had a mean age of 58 years. At presentation with SBO, 26 patients (48%) had known recurrent cancer. Forty patients were initially treated nonoperatively; 11 (28%) had resolution of their SBO after a mean of 7 days of nasogastric suction. Five of 11 patients developed recurrent SBO prior to death. Thirty-seven patients underwent laparotomy, 14 on the day of admission and 23 after failure of nasogastric suction. Twenty-five of 37 (68%) had obstruction due to recurrent carcinoma. Small bowel obstruction due to recurrent cancer occurred earlier (21 [+ or -] 5 months) than SBO from benign causes (61 [+ or -] 18 months; p, Cancer patients who develop obstruction of the small intestine often have a poor prognosis. Surgical treatment of these obstructions may have limited success in relieving symptoms and may lead to high rates of morbidity and mortality. However, about 25 percent of patients with a prior history of cancer who develop small bowel obstruction will have conditions that are potentially correctable by surgery. A study was undertaken of 54 patients with cancer who developed small bowel obstruction to determine the usefulness of surgery versus nonsurgical treatment. The study group consisted of 332 men and 22 women; the average age was 58 years. At the time of obstruction, 26 patients were known to have recurrent cancer. Initially, 40 patients were treated nonoperatively; 11 patients (28 percent) improved. However, two weeks later surgery was performed on 37 of the patients, of whom 68 percent had obstruction due to cancer recurrence. The 30-day death rate for the 25 surgically-treated patients was 24 percent. Obstruction secondary to cancer was the only factor predictive of in-hospital death. The who were discharged from the hospital following surgery had an average survival of only 2.5 months. These results suggest that patients with a prior history of cancer who develop small bowel obstruction should initially be treated conservatively. Early surgery may be indicated in patients with no known disease recurrence. Patients with known recurrence who undergo surgery have a poor prognosis. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is currently classified as classic (CLCIS), florid (FLCIS), and pleomorphic (PLCIS). Given the rarity of FLCIS and PLCIS, information on their clinico-pathologic features and biologic potential remains limited. We evaluated the upgrade rates at excision of FLCIS and PLCIS diagnosed on inhouse core needle biopsy (CNB) and their clinical presentation and follow-up. Over a period of 11 and a half years, there were a total of 36 inhouse CNBs with pure PLCIS (n= 8), FLCIS (n= 24), or LCIS with pleomorphic features (LCIS-PF) (n= 4). The upgrade rates to invasive carcinoma or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) were 25% for PLCIS (2/8), 17% for FLCIS (4/24), and 0% for LCIS-PF (0/4). The overall upgrade rate of PLCIS and FLCIS combined was 19% (6/32). All but one case (not upgraded at excision) were radiologic–pathologic concordant. Apocrine features, previously reported only in PLCIS, were also noted in FLCIS. HER2 overexpression was seen in 13% of cases. This study highlights the more aggressive biologic features of PLCIS and FLCIS compared to CLCIS and supports surgical management for these lesions.

Breast cancer is still the most common cancer worldwide. But the way breast cancer is viewed has changed drastically since its molecular hallmarks were extensively characterised, now including immunohistochemical markers (eg, ER, PR, HER2 [ERBB2], and proliferation marker protein Ki-67 [MKI67]), genomic markers (eg, BRCA1, BRCA2, and PIK3CA), and immunomarkers (eg, tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes and PD-L1). New biomarker combinations are the basis for increasingly complex diagnostic algorithms. Neoadjuvant combination therapy, often including targeted agents, is a standard of care (especially in HER2-positive and triple-negative breast cancer), and the basis for de-escalation of surgery in the breast and axilla and for risk-adapted post-neoadjuvant strategies. Radiotherapy remains an important cornerstone of breast cancer therapy, but de-escalation schemes have become the standard of care. ER-positive tumours are treated with 5–10 years of endocrine therapy and chemotherapy, based on an individual risk assessment. For metastatic breast cancer, standard therapy options include targeted approaches such as CDK4 and CDK6 inhibitors, PI3K inhibitors, PARP inhibitors, and anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy, depending on tumour type and molecular profile. This range of treatment options reflects the complexity of breast cancer therapy today.

IMPORTANCE: There is currently no guidance on how to approach surveillance mammography for older breast cancer survivors, particularly when life expectancy is limited. OBJECTIVE: To develop expert consensus guidelines that facilitate tailored decision-making for routine surveillance mammography for breast cancer survivors 75 years or older. EVIDENCE: After a literature review of the risk of ipsilateral and contralateral breast cancer events among breast cancer survivors and the harms and benefits associated with mammography, a multidisciplinary expert panel was convened to develop consensus guidelines on surveillance mammography for breast cancer survivors 75 years or older. Using an iterative consensus-based approach, input from clinician focus groups, and critical review by the International Society for Geriatric Oncology, the guidelines were refined and finalized. FINDINGS: The literature review established a low risk for ipsilateral and contralateral breast cancer events in most older breast cancer survivors and summarized the benefits and harms associated with mammography. Draft mammography guidelines were iteratively evaluated by the expert panel and clinician focus groups, emphasizing a patient’s risk for in-breast cancer events, age, life expectancy, and personal preferences. The final consensus guidelines recommend discontinuation of routine mammography for all breast cancer survivors when life expectancy is less than 5 years, including those with a history of high-risk cancers; consideration to discontinue mammography when life expectancy is 5 to 10 years; and continuation of mammography when life expectancy is more than 10 years. Individualized, shared decision-making is encouraged to optimally tailor recommendations after weighing the benefits and harms associated with surveillance mammography and patient preferences. The panel also recommends ongoing clinical breast examinations and diagnostic mammography to evaluate clinical findings and symptoms, with reassurance for patients that these practices will continue. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: It is anticipated that these expert guidelines will enhance clinical practice by providing a framework for individualized discussions, facilitating shared decision-making regarding surveillance mammography for breast cancer survivors 75 years or older.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has revolutionized the surgical management of the axilla for patients with early breast cancer. SLNB initially became standard regional therapy for women who were both clinically and pathologically node-negative. Subsequently, SLNB has been established as appropriate management in patients with very low axillary tumor burden, defined as isolated tumor cells or micrometastatic disease (< 2 mm); it provides accurate staging information with no detriment to regional control. More recently, the treatment of the axilla has evolved for women with macrometastatic axillary disease. Three randomized controlled trials have compared different regional treatment strategies for patients with > 2 mm of axillary tumor burden. Here we review the evolution of SLNB for the management of clinically node-negative breast cancer, and we address the current controversies and management issues., Introduction Although axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) remained the standard of care for all breast cancer patients until the early 2000s, evidence that not all microscopic axillary disease requires surgical [...]

Flat epithelial atypia (FEA) is an alteration of terminal duct lobular units by a proliferation of ductal epithelium with low-grade atypia. No consensus exists on whether the diagnosis of FEA in core needle biopsy (CNB) requires excision (EXC). We retrospectively identified all in-house CNBs obtained between January 2012 and July 2018 with FEA. We reviewed all CNB slides and assessed radiologic-pathologic concordance. An upgrade was defined as invasive carcinoma (IC) and/or ductal carcinoma in situ in the EXC. The EXC slides of all upgraded cases were rereviewed. Out of ∼15,700 consecutive CNBs in the study period, 106 CNBs from 106 patients yielded FEA alone or with classic lobular neoplasia (LN). We excluded 52 CNBs (40 patients with prior/concurrent carcinoma and 12 without EXC). After rereview, we reclassified 14 cases (2 marked nuclear atypia, 10 focal atypical ductal hyperplasia, 2 benign). The final FEA study cohort consisted of 40 CNBs from 40 women. The CNB targeted mammographic calcifications in 36 (90%) cases, magnetic resonance imaging nonmass enhancement in 3 (8%), and 1 (2%) sonographic mass. All CNBs were deemed radiologic-pathologic concordant. FEA was present alone in 34 CNBs and with LN in 6. EXC yielded 2 low-grade IC, each spanning <2 mm, identified in tissue sections without biopsy site changes. The remaining 38 cases had no upgrade. Classic LN did not affect the upgrade. The upgrade rate of FEA was 5%; both minute, low-grade “incidental” IC. We conclude that nonsurgical management may be considered in patients without prior/concurrent carcinoma and radiologic-pathologic concordant CNB diagnosis of FEA.