SENTINEL LYMPH NODE BIOPSY USING METHYLENE BLUE DYE IN EARLY BREAST CANCER. IS IT TRULY RELIABLE?

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 General Surgery Department, Misr University for Science and Technology (MUST), 6th of October

2 General Surgery Department, Minia University, Minia, Egypt

Abstract

Aim: Current literature has suggested that sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) may replace axillary 
dissection as the nodal staging procedure of choice in early breast cancer. The aim of this study is to 
evaluate the effectiveness and accuracy of SLNB using methylene blue dye in predicting axillary nodal 
status in early breast cancer with clinically impalpable axillary lymph nodes. 
Methods: In the period between May 2006 and April 2009, 94 patients with early breast cancer and clinically 
impalpable axillary lymph nodes, underwent SLNB using methylene blue dye followed by completion of 
axillary dissection in the same setting after taking a written consent from the patients. 
Results: Of included 94 patients, SLNB was successful in 86 (91.5%). Accuracy of SLNB was 95.3%, 
sensitivity was 88.2%, false negative rate was 11.8%, negative predictive value was 92.8% and rate of 
metastatic disease to sentinel nodes only, without other nodal affection, was 26.5%.
Conclusion: SLNB using methylene blue dye is an accurate predictor of axillary nodal status in women with 
early breast cancer. 

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