Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38704502›Full record

ArticleAnnals of surgical oncology2024

Residual Axillary Metastases in Node-Positive Breast Cancer Patients After Neoadjuvant Treatment: A Register-Based Study.

Frederikke Munck, Maj-Britt Jensen, Ilse Vejborg, Maria K Gerlach, Maja V Maraldo, Niels T Kroman, Tove H F Tvedskov

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of surgical oncology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Predicting the Probability of Residual Axillary Nodal Metastases in Patients With Breast Cancer Treated With Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.Modern pathology : an official journal of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, Inc · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Frederikke MunckDepartment of Breast Surgery, Herlev-Gentofte Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark. Frederikke.munck.01@regionh.dk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7659-7825
Maj-Britt JensenDanish Breast Cancer Group, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Ilse VejborgDepartment of Breast Examinations and Capital Mammography Screening, Herlev-Gentofte Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark.
Maria K GerlachDepartment of Pathology, Herlev-Gentofte Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark.
Maja V MaraldoDepartment of Clinical Oncology, Center of Cancer and Organ Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Niels T KromanDanish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Tove H F TvedskovDepartment of Breast Surgery, Herlev-Gentofte Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark.

Funding

Inge og Jørgen Larsens Mindelegat 10537-006/41Kræftens Bekæmpelse R325-A18625Vissing Fonden 525902
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLymph node (LN) metastasis after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) generally warrants axillary lymph node dissection, which opposes guidelines of upfront surgery in many cases. We investigated the risk of having additional metastases in the axilla when the LNs removed by targeted axillary dissection (TAD) harbored metastases after NACT. We aimed to identify subgroups suitable for de-escalated axillary treatment.

methodsThis register-based study used data from the Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group database. Data were analyzed with logistic regression models. The primary outcome was the metastatic burden in non-TAD LNs in patients with positive TAD LNs after NACT.

resultsAmong 383 patients, < 66.6% positive TAD LNs (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.17-0.62), only isolated tumor cells (ITCs) [OR 0.11, 95% CI < 0.01-0.82], and breast pathological complete response (pCR) [OR 0.07, 95% CI < 0.01-0.56] were associated with a low risk of having more than three positive non-TAD LNs. In 315 patients with fewer than three positive non-TAD LNs, the proportion of positive TAD LNs (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.27-0.76 for 33.3-66.6% vs. > 66.6%), size of the TAD LN metastasis (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.04-0.54 for ITC vs. macrometastasis), tumor size at diagnosis (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.15-0.64 for 20-49 mm vs. ≥ 50 mm) and breast pCR (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.15-0.96) were associated with residual LN metastases in the axilla.

conclusionsBreast pCR or ITC only in TAD LNs can, with reasonable certainty, preclude more than three positive non-TAD LNs. Additionally, patients with only ITCs in the TAD LN had a low risk of having any non-TAD LN metastases after NACT. De-escalated axillary treatment may be considered in both subgroups.

Indexed as

AxillaBreast NeoplasmsLymphatic MetastasisLymph Node ExcisionNeoadjuvant TherapyRegistriesAdultAgedAntineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy ProtocolsFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansLymph NodesMiddle AgedNeoplasm, ResidualNeoplasm StagingAxillary metastasesAxillary stagingBreast cancerNeoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancerTargeted axillary dissection

Identifiers

PMID38704502
PMCPMC11236906

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.