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Although the 2009 American Joint Committee on Cancer incorporated the internal mammary sentinel lymph node biopsy (IM-SLNB) concept, there has been little change in surgical practice patterns due to the low visualization rate of internal mammary sentinel lymph nodes with the traditional injection technique. Meanwhile, as internal mammary lymph nodes (IMLN) metastases are mostly found concomitantly with axillary lymph nodes (ALN) metastases, previous IM-SLNB clinical trials fail to evaluate the status of IMLN in patients who are really in need (only in clinically ALN negative patients). Our modified injection technique (periareolar intraparenchymal, high volume, and ultrasonographic guidance) significantly improved the visualization rate of internal mammary sentinel lymph nodes, making the routine IM-SLNB possible in daily practice. IM-SLNB could provide individual minimally invasive staging, prognosis, and decision-making for breast cancer patients, especially for patients with clinically positive ALN. Moreover, IMLN radiotherapy should be tailored and balanced between the potential benefit and toxicity, and IM-SLNB-guided IMLN radiotherapy could achieve this goal. In the era of effective adjuvant therapy, within the changing treatment approach - more systemic therapy, less loco-regional therapy - clinicians should deliberate the application of regional IMLN therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the hypothesis of internal mammary sentinel lymph node (IM-SLN) lymphatic drainage pattern, a modified radiotracer injection technique (periareolar intraparenchyma, high volume, and ultrasonographic guidance) was established. To verify the accuracy of the hypothesis and validate the modified radiotracer injection technique and to observe whether the lymphatic drainage of the whole breast parenchyma could reach to the same IMSLN, different tracers were injected into different locations of the breast. The validation study results showed that the correlation and the agreement of the radiotracer and the fluorescence tracer are significant (case-base, rs =0.808, P<0.001; Kappa =0.79, P<0.001). It proved that the lymphatic drainage from different location of the breast (the primary tumor, the subareolar plexus) reached the same IM-SLNs and the hypothesis of IM-SLN lymphatic drainage pattern (ie, IM-SLN receives lymphatic drainage from not only the primary tumor area, but also the entire breast parenchyma). In other words, it validated the accuracy of our modified radiotracer injection technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Internal mammary sentinel lymph node biopsy: abandon or persist?" by D. Vrana and J. Gatek in the February 21, 2017 issue.

A letter to the editor is presented on internal mammary sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.