This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Crane-Okada, R. Articles by Giuliano, A. E. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Crane-Okada, R. Articles by Giuliano, A. E.

Long-Term Morbidity of Sentinel Node Biopsy Versus Complete Axillary Dissection for Unilateral Breast Cancer

¹ Department of Surgical Oncology, John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center, Santa Monica, CA, USA
² City of Hope National Medical Center, 1500 E. Duarte Blvd., Duarte, CA, USA
³ Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark, NJ, USA
⁴ Departments of Medicine and Biostatistics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Correspondence: Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Rebecca Crane-Okada, PhD; E-mail: rcrane-okada{at}coh.org

Background: Postoperative changes after axillary lymph node surgery may significantly alter breast cancer survivors’ (BCS) quality of life. Although sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has less immediate morbidity than axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), its long-term impact on shoulder abduction, arm swelling, and neurosensory changes has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to compare long-term morbidity after SLNB or ALND and breast-conservation surgery.

Methods: Female BCS who remained free of disease at least 3 years after ALND or SLNB for Stage I–III unilateral breast cancer completed a symptom questionnaire and a brief neurosensory physical examination of the upper arm and axilla (range of motion, arm circumference, and sensation to light touch with cotton and needle).

Results: The mean age of the 187 participating BCS was 62 years. At a mean follow-up of 6.6 years after ALND and 4.9 years after SLNB, most BCS had full abduction; only 10 cases (8 ALND, 2 SLNB) had a 2 cm proximal and/or distal circumference difference on the ipsilateral side compared with the contralateral side. ALND was associated with a significantly greater likelihood of subjective arm numbness (P < .001), chest or axillary numbness (P <.001), arm or hand swelling (P < .001), and objective neurosensory changes in the posterior axilla, medial and distal upper arm (P < .001). Operative procedure was the only significant predictor of neurosensory changes (P < .001).

Conclusion: SLNB is associated with significantly less subjective and objective long-term morbidity than ALND.

Key Words: Breast cancer • Sentinel node • Symptoms • Quality of life