Internal mammary chain sentinel node biopsy for breast cancer

Since it seems that nodal status in breast cancer is mainly a marker of tumor biology, rather than a predictor of tumor chronology, evaluation of regional lymph node especially axillary lymph node in management of these patients has been established. The appropriate management of breast cancer patients with metastasis to non axillary lymph nodes (internal mammary, intra mammary) has not yet been well-known. Some studies recommend that biopsy of the internal mammary sentinel node may provide additional prognostic information which might be used to guide the administration of systemic adjuvant therapy. Additionally, it has been suggested that patients with metastasis to the internal mammary sentinel node may benefit from radiotherapy to the internal mammary nodal chain. Current treatment protocols for breast cancer do not include internal mammary sentinel lymph node biopsy , and yet local recurrence in parasternal area occurs in less than 1% of patients treated by either mastectomy or breast preservation surgery. We proposed to determine impact of internal mammary sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer management.

Keywords:

internal mammary lymph node , sentinel lymph node biopsy , breast cancer