Minimize the extent and morbidity of axillary dissection for node-positive breast cancer patients: implementation of axillary lymph node dissection based on breast lymphatics level

Table 1 Characteristics of 156 breast cancer patients

	SLN+ N = 20	cN+ N = 136	p value
Age (Mean)	49.45	51.1	0.627^a
Tumor size, No. (%)			< 0.001^a
< 1 cm	4 (20.0)	6 (4.4)
1-2 cm	14 (70.0)	38 (27.9)
2-3 cm	2 (10.0)	59 (43.4)
> 3 cm	0	33 (24.3)
pN stage, No. (%)			0.03^a
N0	0	15 (11.0)
N1	15 (75.0)	67 (49.3)
N2	5 (25.0)	45 (33.1)
N3	0	9 (6.6)
Surgery, No. (%)			< 0.001^b
Mastectomy (a SLN)	9 (45.0)	114 (83.8)
BCS (≥3 positive SLNs)	11 (55.0)	22 (16.2)
Histological type (%)			0.882^a
ER/PR+, HER2-	12 (60.0)	79 (58.1)
ER/PR+, HER2+	2 (10.0)	11 (8.1)
ER-, PR-, HER2+	3 (15.0)	22 (16.2)
ER-, PR-, HER2-	3 (15.0)	24 (17.6)
Ki-67, No. (%)			0.699^a
≥ 14%	11 (55.0)	81 (59.6)
< 14%	9 (45.0)	55 (40.4)
Lymphovascular invasion, No. (%)	11 (55.0)	83 (61.0)	0.607^a
Chemotherapy, No. (%)			0.076^a
Yes	16 (80.0)	292 (66.7)
No	4 (20.0)	74 (33.8)
Hormonal therapy, No. (%)			0.903^a
Yes	14 (70.0)	97 (71.3)
No	6 (30.0)	39 (28.7)
Anti-HER2 therapy, No. (%)			1.000
Yes	5 (25.0)	33 (24.3)
No	15 (75.0)	103 (75.7)
Radiotherapy, No. (%)			0.248^a
Yes	20 (100.0)	121 (89.0)
No	0 (0)	15 (11.0)
Identification rate of breast lymphatics level, No. (%)	20 (100)	134 (98.5)	1.000
Staged tracing^c, No. (%)	17 (85.0)	91 (66.9)	0.102^b

SLN+ positive sentinel lymph node, cN+ clinically node-positive axilla, BCS breast-conserving surgery
^aNonparametric test; ^bChi-squire test
^cStaged tracing: injecting 0.1 ml blue dye into SLNs

ISSN: 1471-2407