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The article examines the axillary recurrence rate and false-negative rate of axillary sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy. A prospective registry of SLNB procedures for breast cancer from 592 breast cancer patients performed between 1998 and 2004 was examined. Results revealed the axillary recurrence rate to be 2.8 per cent after a median follow-up of over five years. The authors concluded that axillary recurrence and false-negative after SLNB increase with longer follow-up.

Background: Intraoperative examination of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) may detect metastatic disease, allowing immediate axillary lymph node dissection and therefore avoiding the need for reoperation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of scrape cytology of the SLN in patients with early breast cancer. Methods: Sentinel node biopsy was performed in 148 patients with clinical T1–2 N0 breast cancer. After harvesting, the SLN was bisected and cells from both halves were scraped with a scalpel blade on to a slide and stained with a Papanicolaou and Giemsa stain. Scrape cytology results were compared with the results of paraffin sections stained with haematoxylin and eosin and with immunohistochemistry. Results: The intraoperative diagnosis was correct in 126 patients (85 per cent). Sensitivity and specificity were 67 and 98 per cent respectively; positive and negative predictive values were 95 and 81 per cent. Conclusion: Scrape cytology is a useful method for intraoperative evaluation of the SLN in patients with breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]