Search

Intraoperative molecular assay Gene Search BLN Assay (BLN) detects sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis in breast cancer. Our objective was to compare BLN to the definitive conventional histologic methods and to experiment the management of BLN in routine.Each SLN was cut into alternate slabs. Half slabs were analysed with the intraoperative BLN molecular method, and the other slabs with the definitive histologic method.Two hundred and thirty four SLN have been analysed (124 patients). Thirty-five SLN had metastasis for 29 patients (23.4%). BLN correctly identified 28 patients. Two cases of discordance between BLN and standard method were found, probably explained by a sample bias. The sensibility of BLN is 96.4%, the sensitivity is 99%, the predictive positive value is 96.4%, the predictive negative value is 99% and the concordance is 98.4%. The surgery time increases and there is a need to adapt the theatre organization accordingly.The Gene Search BLN Assay gives a great interest for the patient, the surgeon and the pathologist because it increases the quality of the intraoperative analysis by comparison with the intraoperative conventional histology.

Background After breast conservative treatment (BCT), young age is a predictive factor for recurrence in patients with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) of the breast. The purpose of this study was to evaluate predictive factors for recurrence and outcomes in these younger women (under 40 years) treated for pure DCIS. Methods From 1974 to 2003, 207 cases were collected in 12 French Cancer Centers. Median age was 36.3 years and median follow-up 160 months. Seventy four (35.8%) underwent mastectomy, 67 (32.4%) lumpectomy alone and 66 (31.9%) lumpectomy plus radiotherapy. Results 37 recurrences occurred (17.8%): 14 (38%) were in situ and 23 (62%) invasive. After BCT, the overall rate of recurrence was 27% (33% in the lumpectomy plus radiotherapy group vs. 21% in the lumpectomy alone group). Comedocarcinoma subtype ( p = 0.004), histological size more than 10 mm ( p = 0.011), necrosis ( p = 0.022) and positive margin status ( p = 0.019) were statistically significant predictive factors for recurrence. The actuarial 15-year rates of local recurrence were 29%, 42% and 37% in the lumpectomy alone, lumpectomy and whole breast radiotherapy and lumpectomy + whole breast radiotherapy with additional boost groups respectively. After recurrence, the 10-year overall survival rate was 67.2%. Conclusion High recurrence rates (mainly invasive) after BCT in young women with DCIS are confirmed. BCT in this subgroup of patients is possible if clear and large margins are obtained, tumor size is under 11 mm and necrosis- and/or comedocarcinoma-free.

From March 2003 to April 2004, were prospectively collected in France 1,289 ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) with data on diagnosis, patient and tumour characteristics, and treatments. Median age was 56 years (range, 30-84). DCIS was diagnosed by mammography in 87.6% of patients. Mastectomy (M), conservative surgery alone (CS) and conservative surgery with radiotherapy (CS + RT) were performed in 30.5, 7.8 and 61.7% of patients, respectively. Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) and axillary dissection (AD) were performed in 21.3 and 10.4% of patients, respectively. Hormone therapy was administered to 13.4% of the patients. Nuclear grade was low in 21% of patients, intermediate in 38.5% and high in 40.5%. Excision was considered complete in 92% (CS) and 88.3% (CS + RT) of patients. Treatment modalities varied widely according to region: mastectomy rate, 20-37%; adjuvant RT, 84-96%; hormone treatment, 6-34%. Our survey on current DCIS management in France has highlighted correlations between pathological features (tumour size, margin, grade) and treatment options, with several similar variations to those observed in recent UK and US studies.

The intraoperative determination of axillary node micrometastasis according to the Rapid GeneSearch Breast Lymph Node (BLN) is based on RT-PCR (mRNA of mammaglobine and CK19) detects metastases0.2 mm.Eighty-three pts between November 2007 and June 2008 were included (33 from Centre Jean-Perrin and 50 from Centre Oscar-Lambret). Lymph nodes were cut in 2 mm slices, and 1 out of 2 was examined with BLN; the others were examined by imprints then histological exam with immunohistochemistry.Forteen pts had micro- or macrometastasis. Seven were positive with intraoperative imprints including six macrometastasis and one micrometastasis; seven were positive with BLN and seven at histological exam with two cases of discordance. Sensitivity was 92%, specificity 98%. Positive predictive value 92%, and negative predictive value 98%. The median time for intraoperative determination was 40 minutes for 2 SLN.Half each lymph node is study by each method. This explains the discordances observed. Limit of BLN is the absence of CTI detection; however there is no consensus about the necessity of axillary clearance in such a case.In this series BLN reduces axillary clearance and improves comfort patients.

Background To prospectively determine the feasibility of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in preoperatively diagnosed multiple unilateral synchronous invasive breast cancers. Patients and methods The Interest of Axillary Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Multiple Invasive Breast Cancer (IGASSU) study was a prospective multi-institutional study with initial breast surgery, SLNB, and systematic axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Patients eligible for the IGASSU study had an operable invasive multiple synchronous tumor (MST), defined as two or more physically separate invasive tumors in the same or different quadrant. Results From 1 March 2006 to 31 August 2007, 216 patients were prospectively included from 16 institutions. Of these patients, 211 were assessable. The SLNB-identified rate was 93.4% (197 of 211). The false-negative rate (FNR) was 13.6% (14 of 103) [95% confidence interval (CI) 7% to 20%], and the accuracy was 92.9% (183 of 197) (95% CI 89% to 96%). In a univariate analysis, tumor location (only external location versus other location) was the only clinicopathological factor influencing the FNR [22% (11%–33%) versus 7% (4%–10%)], even then median aggregate histological tumor size was smaller in external tumors [17 mm (range 12–80 mm) versus 34 mm (range 8–90 mm), P = 0.016]. Conclusion With a FNR of 13.6%, we do not recommend SLNB as a routine procedure for MST, even for small tumor.

Environ 4 a 6 % des patientes atteintes d’un cancer du sein presentent des metastases au moment du diagnostic. Historiquement, la place de la chirurgie reste limitee aux situations palliatives locales soit en raison de symptomes locaux invalidants pour la patiente, soit pour assurer un controle local correct pendant leur periode de survie.

Purpose Predictive factors of non-sentinel lymph node (NSN) involvement at axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) have been studied in the case of sentinel node (SN) involvement, with validation of a nomogram. This nomogram is not accurate for SN micrometastasis. The purpose of our study was to determine a nomogram for predicting the likelihood of NSN involvement in breast cancer patients with a SN micrometastasis. Methods We collated 909 observations of SN micrometastases with additional ALND. Characteristics of the patients, tumours and SN were analysed. Results Involvement of SN was diagnosed 490 times (53.9%) with standard staining (HES) and 419 times solely on immunohistochemical analysis (IHC) (46.1%). NSN invasion was observed in 114 patients (12.5%), whereas 62.3% (71) had only one NSN involved and 37.7% (43) two or more NSN involved. In multivariate analysis, significant predictive factors were: tumour size (pT stage ≤10 mm or >11 and ≤20 or >20 mm [odds ratio (OR) 2.1 and 3.43], micrometastases detected by HES or IHC [OR 1.64], presence or absence of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) [OR 1.76], tumour histological type mixed or not [OR 2.64]. The rate and probability of NSN involvement with the model are given for 24 groups, with a representation by a nomogram. Conclusion One group, corresponding to 10.1% of the patients, was associated with a risk of NSN involvement of less than 5%, and five groups, corresponding to 29.8% of the patients, were associated with a risk ≤10%. Omission of ALND could be proposed with minimal risk for a low probability of NSN involvement.

The role of MRI for presurgical local staging of breast cancers amenable to conservative treatment has been the subject of multiple publications and tends to become a "validated" indication in routine practice. The purpose of the paper is to review the advantages and limitations of this imaging modality that is part of a comprehensive management that must be validated by clinical data especially with regards to local recurrence and survival. Knowledge of these elements combined with more precise indications should result in improved patient management while avoiding overtreatment or unnecessary anxiety-producing examinations.

Le traitement conservateur (TC) repose sur une chirurgie d’exerese glandulaire permettant une exerese totale de la tumeur, laissant un sein d’aspect normal et un risque de recidive locale faible, sans qu’il y ait un sur-risque de metastase par rapport a une mastectomie. Dans la quasi-totalite des cas, le TC repose sur une association radiochirurgicale.

To assess daily practice of 1000 sentinel node (SN) biopsies in breast cancer.Prospective review of 1000 consecutive sentinel node biopsies between February 2001 and June 2004. Analyses concerned technical aspects of sentinel node detection, pathologic results of the tumor and sentinel node, treatment and follow-up.Nine hundred and seventy-eight SN were detected (98.7%). In univariate analyses, age, pathologic tumor size (20 mm) and method of detection (blue dye or isotopic vs. combined) were statistically significant. One hundred and fifty-six cases (16%) underwent immediate axillary dissection (AD), whereas 116 (12%) had a delayed AD. There were 923 invasive or micro-invasive carcinoma with detected SN: 282 SN (30.5%) were involved, either with macrometastases (166) or with micrometastases (116), 34% had positive non-sentinel node. Age and metastasis size were predictive for AD involvement. Sixteen percent of micrometastatic SN had positive AD, there was no predictive factor for axillary involvement. After a median follow-up of 20 months, there were 4 axillary recurrences: 1 (0.1%) after negative SN without AD, 1 (0.1%) after positive SN with positive AD, 1 (4.3%) after micrometatastatic SN without AD, and 1 (8.3%) after macrometastatic SN without AD. There were 55 ductal carcinoma in situ and 54 micro-invasive cancer: positive SN (with negative AD) were detected in only 2 cases (2.3%). There were initially 112 ductal carcinoma in situ diagnosed by percutaneaous biopsy, 25 of them (22%) had invasive disease on definitive histology. Among there, 12 had involved SN (with 4 positive AD).With a high detection rate and low recurrence rate, SN biopsy is considered in our institute as a reliable procedure and is used to evaluate regional nodal status of early breast cancer. Thus, 70% of AD can be omitted.

In the conservative management of breast cancer, radiation therapy delivering 45 to 50 Gy to the whole breast, in 4.5 to 5 weeks, followed by a booster dose of 10 to 20 Gy is the standard of care. Based on the numerous studies which have reported that the local recurrences occurs within and surrounding the primary tumor site and in order to decrease the treatment duration and its morbidity, partial breast irradiation using several techniques has been developed. Partial irradiation may be considered as an alternative local adjuvant treatment for selected patients with favorable prognostic factors. Using external beam radiation therapy, the 3D-conformal technique is appropriate to deliver the whole dose to a limited volume. In UK, an intraoperative technique using a miniature beam of low energy of x-ray (50 Kv) has been developed (Targit). Milan's team have developed an intraoperative electrons beam radiotherapy using a dedicated linear accelerator in the operative room. In USA and Canada the MammoSite has been advised for clinical use in per-operative brachytherapy of the breast. These two last techniques are currently compared in phase III randomised studies to the standard whole breast irradiation followed by a tumour bed booster dose. In this review we will focus on the MammoSite technique and will describe the per-operative implantation procedure, radiological controls ad dosimetric aspects.

This study assesses the results of "current clinical practice" among 882 women treated in nine French Cancer Centers from 1985 to 1995 for pure ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast.Median age was 53 years (range 21-87); 177 (20%) patients underwent mastectomy (M), 190 (22%) conservative surgery alone (CS) and 515 (58%) conservative surgery with radiotherapy (CS + RT).The crude 7-year local relapse (LR) rates were 2%, 31% and 13% among the M, CS and CS+RT subgroups (p0.0001). All four LR after M were invasive as well as 31 (52%) out of 59 and 40 (61%) out of 66 in the CS and CS+RT groups. Distant metastases occurred in 1%, 3% and 1% of the three treatment groups. No LR factors were found in the M group. Among women treated with CS, the 7-year LR rates were 36%, 31% and 30% among women aged 40 or less, 41 to 60 and 61 or more (NS). For women treated by CS+RT, the LR rates in these age subgroups were 33%, 13% and 8%, respectively (p0.0001). Patients with negative, positive or uncertain margins had 7-year LR rates of 26%, 56% and 29% respectively if treated with CS (p=0.02) and 11%, 23% and 9% if treated with CS+RT (p=0.0008). RT reduced LR rates by 65% in all histological subgroups, but more particularly in comedocarcinoma and mixed cribriform/papillary subgroups. The 7-year rate of contralateral breast cancer was 7%, identical in all subgroups.Mastectomy remains the safest treatment for women with DCIS, with a 98% 7-year control rate. After conservative surgery, RT reduces very significantly LR rates, according to the NSABP B-17 and EORTC 10853 randomized trial results. The RT benefit is present in all clinical/histological subgroups, but its magnitude varies. Young age (40 years) and incomplete excision are the most important LR risk factors.

Tamoxifen has been used for two decades as adjuvant therapy for breast cancer. It is also now being used to try and prevent this disease in women at high risk. A series of 89 patients who developed endometrial cancer on adjuvant has been identified from nine French cancer institutes. Although there was a high frequency of superficial, generally well-differentiated forms, some patients did have aggressive disease with a relatively poor outcome and there were 10 deaths from endometrial carcinoma. These data support gynaecological surveillance of women receiving tamoxifen therapy.

The "Standards, Options and Recommendations" (SOR) project, started in 1993, is a collaboration between the Federation of french cancer centers (FNCLCC), the 20 french cancer centers, and specialists from french public universities, general hospitals and private clinics. The main objective is the development of clinical practice guidelines to improve the quality of health care and the outcome of cancer patients. The methodology is based on a literature review and critical appraisal by a multidisciplinary group of experts, with feedback from specialists in cancer care delivery.To develop clinical practice guidelines for non metastatic breast cancer patients according to the definitions of the Standards, Options and Recommendations project.Data were identified by searching Medline, web sites, and using the personal reference lists of members of the expert groups. Once the guidelines were defined, the document was submitted for review to 148 independent reviewers.This article presents the chapter radiotherapy resulting from the 2001 update of the version first published in 1996. The modified 2001 version of the standards, options and recommendations takes into account new information published. The main recommendations are: (1) Breast irradiation after conservative surgery significantly decrease the risk of local recurrence (level of evidence A) and the decrease in the risk of local recidive after chest wall irradiation is greater as the number of risk factors for local recurrence increases (level of evidence A). (2) After conservative surgery, a whole breast irradiation should be performed at a minimum dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions (standard, level of evidence A). (3) A boost in the tumour bed should be performed in women under 50 years, even if the surgical margins are free (standard, level of evidence B). (4) Internal mammary chain irradiation is indicated for internal or central tumours in the absence of axillary lymph node involvement (expert agreement) and in the presence of lymph node involvement (standard, level of evidence B1). (5) Sub- and supra-claviculr lymph node irradiation is indicated in patients with axillary node involvement (standard, level of evidence B1).

L’infarctus segmentaire de l’epiploon est une pathologie tres rare chez l’enfant. Il pose souvent un probleme de diagnostic differentiel avec les urgences abdominales chirurgicales. Nous vous rapportant un cas d’un petit garcon de 9 ans, obese, se presentant aux urgences pour des douleurs abdominales localisees en fosse iliaque droite avec un bilan inflammatoire positif. Interet d’un examen echographique et scannographique pour redresser le diagnostic le traitement est souvent conservateur rarement chirurgical en cas d’echec au traitement medical ou d’infection.

Until now, less than 5% of the patients with breast ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) have been enrolled in clinical trials. Consequently, we have analysed the results of ‘current practice’ among 716 women treated in eight French Cancer Centres from 1985 to 1992: 441 cases (61.6%) corresponded to impalpable lesions, 92 had a clinical size of less than or equal to 2 cm and 70 from 2 to 5 cm; in 113 cases, the size was unspecified. Median age was 53.2 years (range: 21–87 years). 145 patients underwent mastectomy (RS) and 571 conservative surgery (CS) without (136) or with (435) radiotherapy (CS+RT). The mean histological tumour sizes in these three groups were 25.6, 8.2, 14.8 mm, respectively (P

The "Standards, Options and Recommendations" (SOR) project, started in 1993, is a collaboration between the Federation of the French Cancer Centres (FNCLCC), the 20 French Cancer Centres and specialists from French Public Universities, General Hospitals and Private Clinics. The main objective is the development of clinical practice guidelines to improve the quality of health care and outcome for cancer patients. The methodology is based on literature systematic review and critical appraisal by a multidisciplinary group of experts, with feedback from specialists in cancer care delivery.To develop clinical practice guidelines according to the definitions of Standards, Options and Recommendations for endocrine therapy in patients with non metastatic breast cancer.Data have been identified by literature search using Medline, Embase, Cancerlit and Cochrane databases - until july 1999 - and the personal reference lists of the expert group. Once the guidelines were defined, the document was submitted for review to 125 independent reviewers.The main recommendations for the endocrine therapy of patients with non metastatic breast cancer are: 1) Endocrine therapy modalities depend on menopausal status or age of women: ovarian suppression for premenopausal women, antiestrogen drug therapy for postmenopausal women (standard). 2) Tamoxifen (20 mg/d - 5 years) is beneficial to women with positive estrogen receptor tumor (standard, level of evidence A). There is no indication of tamoxifen treatment for women with negative estrogen receptor tumor (standard, level of evidence A). 3) For postmenopausal women with positive estrogen receptor tumor, tamoxifen is the standard adjuvant treatment (level of evidence A). For postmenopausal women with negative estrogen receptor, adjuvant chemotherapy has to be considered (option, level of evidence A). No adjuvant treatment has to be considered for women with poor health condition (option). 4) For premenopausal women with estrogen receptor tumor, results of clinical trials of chemotherapy versus endocrine therapy, suggest a benefit for endocrine therapy. However, there is no sufficient evidence to consider endocrine therapy alone as a standard adjuvant treatment. 5) For premenopausal women, chemotherapy + ovarian suppression or chemotherapy + tamoxifen are not better than chemotherapy alone (level of evidence A). 6) For postmenopausal women, administration of chemotherapy plus adjuvant tamoxifen versus the same tamoxifen alone, is of additional benefit in reducing recurrences but not in prolonging overall survival (standard, level of evidence A). 7) Balance of known benefits (delay to recurrence and death) and risks (side-effects of therapy) for adjuvant chemoendocrine therapy has to be taken into consideration before decision making. Chemoendocrine therapy can be indicated for women at high risk of developing metastatic disease (recommendation, experts agreement).

Since tamoxifen is widely used in breast cancer treatment and has been proposed for the prevention of breast cancer, its endometrial iatrogenic effects must be carefully examined. We have investigated the association between endometrial cancer and tamoxifen use or other treatments in women treated for breast cancer in a case-control study. Cases of endometrial cancer diagnosed after breast cancer (n = 135) and 467 controls matched for age, year of diagnosis of breast cancer and hospital and survival time with an intact uterus were included. Women who had received tamoxifen were significantly more likely to have endometrial cancer diagnosed than those who had not (crude relative risk = 4.9, p = 0.0001). Univariate and adjusted analyses showed that the risk increased with the length of treatment (p = 0.0001) or the cumulative dose of tamoxifen received (p = 0.0001), irrespective of the daily dose. Women who had undergone pelvic radiotherapy also had a higher risk (crude relative risk = 7.8, p = 0.0001). After adjusting for confounding factors, the risk was higher for tamoxifen users (p = 0.0012), treatment for more than 3 years (all p0.03) and pelvic radiotherapy (p = 0.012). Women who had endometrial cancer and had received tamoxifen had more advanced disease and poorer prognosis than those with endometrial cancer who had not received this treatment. Our results suggest a causal role of tamoxifen in endometrial cancer, particularly when used as currently proposed for breast cancer prevention. Pelvic radiotherapy may be an additional iatrogenic factor for women with breast cancer. Endometrial cancers diagnosed in women treated with tamoxifen have poorer prognosis. Women who receive tamoxifen for breast cancer should be offered gynaecological surveillance during and after treatment. A long-term evaluation of the risk-benefit ratio of tamoxifen as a preventive treatment for breast cancer is clearly warranted.

The objective of this study is to compare morbidity between 2 surgical procedures of axillary clearance: functional lymphadenectomy by classical dissection versus axillary dissection prepared by liposuction (Suzanne's procedure). Two hundred consecutive patients treated for breast cancer were included in a prospective randomized trial between 1st January, 1995 and 31st January, 1996 (Huriet's law). The assessment (number of nodes, postoperative stay, drainage duration, rate of seromas, number of complications, evaluation of mobility and sensitive disorders) was done on the first, fifth, tenth and thirty postoperative days. There is no significant difference between the 2 groups. The rate of seromas decreased significantly only for fat patients (8/25 versus 21/34, p0.05) and for the patients treated with radical mastectomy (17/37 versus 28/39, p0.05). In this preliminary study, liposuction does not change postoperative effects of axillary clearance, except for fat patients or after total mastectomy. The liposuction seems to facilitate a better anatomical dissection and a better preservation of the nervous and vascular elements.

A retrospective study of local faiture and cosmetic results after conservative surgery for retroareolar breast cancer.Seventy-seven patients underwent a conservative surgical procedure between 1983 and 1994. Median follow-up was 37,5 months. Fourteen patients experienced a recurrence (5 local, 2 local and distant, 7 distant). Only two probably interrelated factors were associated with a risk of local recurrence: nipple-areola complex removed or not, and pathological margins. Cosmetic results were evaluated with patient's questionnaires: 40/47 patients (85%) stated they were satisfied.In spite of the short follow-up, conservative surgery is a safe procedure for local control only in cases with negative margins. Procedure for nipple areola complex is now questionable. Cosmetic results are achieved if indication of central lumpectomy are confined to small and limited tumors. For other tumors, plastic remodelling is necessary.

During a period of 10 years, 91 ductal carcinomas in situ (DCIS) were operated. After a study of clinical and therapeutics characteristics, the evolution of the DCIS was studied. Eleven recurrences were seen in a period of 41 months. The actuarial risk of recurrence was 11% at 5 years and 17% at 8 years. About half of the recurrences were invasive and occurred 10 times out of 11 in the initial area or nearby. Among several factors studied, the association of radiotherapy with conservative surgery was the only one which reduced significantly the risk of recurrences.

e11540 Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy rarely induces a complete pathological response in LBC. Nevertheless, adjuvant chemotherapy is used in lobular as well as in other tumor types. Methods: ...

Introduction: Controversy remains over whether to perform sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in multiple (multicentric or multifocal) unilateral synchronous breast cancer. Several small retro- or prospective studies, included pre- or post-operative (or both) multiple synchronous tumours (MST) have suggested that the test performance of SLNB is similar to that seen in unifocal disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of SLNB in preoperatively diagnosed invasive MST.Patients and Methods: The Interest of Axillary SLNB in Multiple Invasive Breast Cancer (IGASSU) study was a prospective multi-institutional study with initial breast surgery, SLNB, and systematic level I to II axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Patients eligible for the IGASSU study had an operable invasive MST, defined as two or more physically separate invasive tumours in the same or different breast quadrant. The diagnosis of invasive MST was confirmed histologically in all patients by core needle biopsy before surgery. Detection of sentinel node was performed by using either blue patent or radiocolloide injection or both. Injection sites were subareolar.Statistical Analysis: Sensitivity (Se), negative predictive value (NPV), accuracy (A), false negative rate (FNR) and their 95%-confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated with a classical 2x2 contingency table. A univariate analysis using odds ratio calculation was performed to identify the risk factors for false negative results.Results: Between March 1, 2006, and August 31, 2007, 216 patients were prospectively included from 16 institutions. Of these patients, 211 were evaluable. The SLNB identified rate were 93.4% (197/211). A mean number of 2.2 SLN (range, 1 to 8, ± 1.4) was successfully excised. The mean number of resected nodes in ALND was 12 (range, 1 to 39, ± 5.7). The FNR was 13.6% (14/103) [95%CI: 7- 20%], Se was 86 .4% (89/103) [95%CI: 79- 93%], NPV was 87% (94/108) [95%CI: 80-93%], A was 92.9% (183/197) [95%CI: 89- 96%]. For the 14 false-negative SN, all had ≤ 3 involved nodes in ALND. Table 1 shows patterns of management of the axilla.Table 1 ALND+ALND-Non-identified SLNB113Identified SLNB+4544Identified SLNB-1494 In a univariate analysis, tumour location (only external location vs other location) was the only clinico-pathological factor influencing the FNR (22% [11-33%] vs 7% [4-10%]), even then median aggregate histological tumour size was smaller in external tumours (17mm [range, 12-80] vs 34mm [range, 8- 90], p=0.016).Conclusion: With a FNR of 13.6% (95%CI: 7-20%), we do not recommend SLNB as a routine procedure for multiple unilateral synchronous breast cancer, even for small tumour foci. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 305.

Abstract #3012 Background: Sentinel lymph node (SLN) status is highly predictive of overall axillary lymph node involvement. SLN positive patients(pts)with macro or micrometastasis require delayed axillary clearance. Intraoperative imprints have a good sensitivity for detection of macrometastasis but micrometastases are seldom diagnosed. Thus, we tested the intraoperative determination of axillary node metastasis according to the Rapid Gene Search Breast Lymph Node (BLN) Assay (Veridex) based on RT-PCR. Patients and methods:50 pts operated between September 17 and March 20 ,2008, had a SLN procedure. Lymph nodes were cut in 2 mm slices, and 1 out of 2 was examined with Rapid BLN Assay; the other one had intraoperative imprints and definitive histological assessement in paraffin-embedded sections including serial slices with hematoxilin eosine safran coloration and Cytokeratine AE1-AE3 immunochemistry. Results : 103 lymph nodes were examined with a median number of 2 SLN by pt. With Rapid BLN Assay, 12(9 pts) were positive and confirmed by histological interpretation on the other half for 11 (8 pts). 89 lymph nodes were negative (41 pts); in 1 (1 pt), isolated tumor cells (CTI) were detected in the other half at histological interpretation. Intraoperative imprints detected 4 macrometastases. One node declared positive at the intra-operative examination imprint corresponded to a granulomatous lesion after histological interpretation and Rapid BLN Assay was negative. Sensitivity was 31% for intraoperative imprints, 92% for Rapid BLN Assay and the histological examination of paraffin--embedded sections. The median time for intraoperative determination was 34 minutes for 1 SLN compared with 20 minutes for imprints. Conclusion: Given the high sensitivity of the rapid BLN assay, the excess duration of the procedure is acceptable for the surgeon. Furthermore, this procedure avoids a secondary axillary clearance in pts without intraoperative examination or with negative imprints and with metastases in SLN. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 3012.

Abstract #207 BACKGROUND. Pure tubular carcinoma (PTC) is a favourable histologic subtype of breast cancer with a low rate of lymph node involvement. This study was initiated to assess the sentinel lymph node (SLN) detection rate and the rate of axillary involvement. METHODS. Inclusion criteria were a PTC (tubular component >90%) core biopsy diagnosed breast cancer smaller than 20 mm, and a homolateral clinically axilla free of nodal involvement. Patients underwent a SLND alone or with an Axillary level I-II Lymphadenectomy (AL). An AL was performed in the case of the learning curve, or in the case of SLN involvement – macrometastases, micrometastases or isolated cells - or in the case of mapping failure. RESULTS. From January 1999 to December 2006, 234 patients were selected from 9 French Comprehensive Cancer Centers. Median tumour size was 9.59 mm (1-22) . The SLN detection rate was 97.9% (229/234). The median number of SLN harvested was 2.15 (range 0-8). Respectively the frequency of macrometastasis - >2mm - was 2.6% (6/229), micrometastasis was 6.5% (15/229) and isolated cells was 0.8% (2/229). There were no false negative cases among the 24 patients with a systematic complementary axillary lymphadenectomy performed in the case of a learning curve. Axillary macrometastasis were found in non sentinel lymph nodes after completed axillary lymphadenectomy in 3 / 6 patients with macrometastasis, in 1/15 patients with micrometastasis and in 0/2 patients with isolated cells. There was no lymph node involvement for tumour size < 10mm. Pathological tumor size >10 mm was statistically correlated to the risk of axillary involvement (p=0.0223). CONCLUSIONS. This study confirms that in the case of PTC ≤ 20mm SLN detection is feasible and the risk of lymph node involvement very low. In the case of PTC Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 207.

The diagnosis of the lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), whose frequency is estimated to range from 0.8 to 3.8 p. cent of breast cancers on the whole, is exclusively anatomopathological since it does not have any specific clinical and/or radiological characteristics. After describing the two main differential diagnoses, the various possible treatments are studied, bearing in mind that the therapeutic strategy must take into account the three characteristics which are typical of LCIS: multicentricity, bilaterality and the possible occurrence of an invasive cancer.

11016 Background: The MammoSite is a device that was developed with the goal of making breast-conserving surgery more widely available. Our objective was to evaluate the MammoSite device performances after an open cavity placement procedure and quality of life in highly selected patients with early-stage breast cancer. Methods: From March 2003 to March 2005, 43 patients with T1 breast cancer were enrolled in a phase II prospective study. Twenty-five (58%) patients were qualified for HDR brachytherapy delivery. The median age was 72 years (range: 60–75). Twenty-five (58%) were treated with high-dose rate brachytherapy using the MammoSite applicator to deliver 34 Gy prescribed at 1 cm from the balloon surface in 10 fractions over 5 to 8 days. Results: The main disqualifying factor was pathologic sentinel node involvement. After a median follow-up of 13 months, there were no local recurrences. Seventeen (68%), 13 (52%), 7 (28%), 5 (20%) and 4 (16%) patients had erythema, seroma, inflammation, hematoma and infection, respectively. Only 2 patients developed telangiectasia. At 3 months breast erythema grade ≥ 2 was significantly correlated to cosmetic results (12.5% in the ‘good to excellent‘ versus 57% in the ‘poor to fair‘ group; p = 0.045). The strongest trend of excellent cosmetic outcome was observed in patients with skin spacing ≥ 19 mm (50%) compared to patients with < 19 mm (11%; p = 0.087). At 1 year the rate of ‘good to excellent‘ cosmetic results was 84%. Significant changes in QoL were observed for emotional and social well-being between 3 and 12 months. At 24 months only emotional well-being subscore changes were statistically significant (p = 0.015). Param Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study since the initial FDA clinical study showing the feasibility of MammoSite brachytherapy procedure as a sole therapy in highly selected patients older than 60 years. This is also the first report on QoL during and after APBI using HDR brachytherapy with a MammoSite device. The toxicity and cosmetic results are in the range of other series. Higher range of skin spacing allowed a significant reduction of the risk of telangiectasia. QoL evaluation indicate that baseline scores were satisfactory. Changes concerned mainly emotional and social well-being. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

11033 Introduction: IBC has a very poor prognosis ; the first treatment is first primary chemotherapy, followed by surgery and radiotherapy. It has been shown that patients experiencing a complete pathological response haved a longer survival . The pathological response has thus to be carefully assessed. Material and Methods: The aim of this retrospective study was to determine whether there islook for a correlation between clinical response with (WHO criteria) and pathological response using Chevallier’s and Sataloff’s classifications. 56 successive patients received an anthracycline- based chemotherapy regimen for IBC before surgery; for all of these patients a pathological analysis had beenwas performed before chemotherapytreatment and after surgery. Alll the specimens werehave been reviewed by the same pathologist. Results: There is a very good correlation between the 2 pathological classifications fAmong the 56 patients, there were 3 complete clinical responses, which were also pathological complete responses according to both classifications.or the complete responders only. In all the other cases, no correlation wascould be found between the 3 classifications . It was particularly striking for all the 41 patients tumours classified grade 3 according to Chevallier who could be classified clinically (with WHO) or pathologically (with Sataloff) in either of the 4 groups from complete responseders to progressive disease . Overall , in this our series , 3 patients according to Chevallier and 11 according to Sataloff were complete pathological responders. Discussion: The lack of correlation between clinical and pathological classifications could be explained , at least in part, by the fibrosis often observed after primary chemotherapy. The differences observed between the 2 pathological classifications highlight the fact that there is no standard and that further research is neede in that perspective. [Table: see text] No significant financial relationships to disclose.

10666 Background: The aim of this study was to compare the two most frequently used pathological classifications to assess the response to chemotherapy (CT) in IBC. Methods: The pathological characteristics of 85 inflammatory breast cancers were reviewed. 52 patients (pts) had a post-CT mastectomy , 49 a tumor biopsy before CT and 16 both. Tumor types, grade, hormonal and Her status were evaluated before and after CT, when available. Results: Among 49 pts with initial biopsy, 1 had a high grade intraductular carcinoma and 48 an invasive carcinoma (42 ductular, 5 lobular, 1 mucinous). 27 (56%) invasive tumors were grade 3 and 21 (44%) grade 2, none was grade 1. Median value of mitotic index (Ki 67) was 23%. Hormone receptors (HR) were evaluable for 46 pts; 28 (61%) were negative. 13 (29%) out of 45 evaluable pts were Her2 3+. The pathological response was evaluated according to the Chevallier et Sataloff classifications in the 52 pts with post CT- mastectomy. According to Chevallier there were no grade 1(no microscopic invasive or in situ carcinoma) or 2 (microscopic in situ carcinoma without invasive carcinoma or axillary lymph node metastases), 44 (85%) were grade 3 (invasive carcinoma with fibrosis or sclerosis) and 8 grade 4 (no modification of initial tumor). There was no pathological complete response. According to Sataloff there were 4 grade TA (complete or nearly complete response), 15 (29%) TB (therapeutic response over 50%), 23 (44%) TC (therapeutic response above 50%), 10 TD (no evident therapeutic effect). There were 4 pathological complete responses out of 52 ( 8%). 16 pts had initial biopsy and post chemotherapy mastectomy. According to the OMS clinical classification there were 5 CR, 37 PR, 10 ST. Among the 4 pathological CR according to Sataloff (TA), 2 were CR and 2 PR. Conclusions: In our experience, there was a very poor correlation between the two pathological classifications and between pathological and clinical classifications. A clinical residual tumor can be due to fibrosis only. The classification used for the determination of the pathological response should always be given in clinical studies. No significant financial relationships to disclose.