Lymph Node Biopsy in Older Patients with Breast Cancer

A clinical model identifies low-risk patients who could be spared such evaluations.

Whether the prognostic benefits of lymph node evaluation outweigh the morbidity risks among older women with breast cancer is controversial. To help resolve this issue, researchers conducted a prospective, multicenter study designed to derive and validate a clinical model for predicting lymph node metastasis in patients who are 70 or older.

A total of 700 hormone receptor–positive breast cancer patients (median age, 76) were randomized to two groups: 554 to a model-derivation group, and 146 to a model-validation group. In the derivation group, 15.9% of patients were node positive; in the validation group, 16.2% were node positive. Univariate analyses of derivation-group data showed that patient age, tumor size, tumor palpability, tumor grade…

Reviewing Author

Henry Mark Kuerer, MD, PhD, FACS

Disclosures

Speaker's BureauPhysicians’ Education Resource, LLC

RoyaltiesMcGraw-Hill Professional; UpToDate, Inc.

Editorial BoardsAnnals of Surgical Oncology

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Breast Surgeons (Chair, Publications Committee)