Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42390662›Full record

ArticleAnnals of surgical oncology2026

Timing of Surgical Axillary Staging and Impact on Technical Success of Immediate Lymphatic Reconstruction Following Axillary Lymph Node Dissection.

Helen M Johnson, Susie X Sun, David M Adelman, Edward I Chang, Solange Cox, Shannon Foreman, Maggie Keener, Lauren Patterson, Simona F Shaitelman, Kelly K Hunt and 1 more

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In one paragraph

Article in Annals of surgical oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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

What it found

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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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

11 authors.

Helen M JohnsonDepartment of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Susie X SunDepartment of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
David M AdelmanDepartment of Plastic Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Edward I ChangDepartment of Plastic Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Solange CoxDepartment of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Shannon ForemanDepartment of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Maggie KeenerDepartment of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Lauren PattersonDepartment of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Simona F ShaitelmanDepartment of Breast Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Kelly K HuntDepartment of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Sarah M DeSnyderDepartment of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. sgainer@mdanderson.org.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe impact of sentinel lymph node dissection (SLND) or targeted axillary dissection (TAD) prior to axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) on the technical success of immediate lymphatic reconstruction (ILR) is not well described. We aimed to determine if the technical success of ILR varies by timing of surgical axillary staging prior to ALND.

methodsOur departmental database was queried to identify patients undergoing ALND from 2020 to 2024. Type and timing of axillary surgical staging and ILR technical details were collected by retrospective chart review.

resultsAmong 866 patients undergoing ALND with a plan for ILR, 655 (75.6%) underwent single-stage ALND, 120 (13.9%) underwent SLND/TAD followed by ALND under the same anesthetic, and 91 (10.5%) underwent SLND/TAD followed by ALND at a separate surgery. The overall ILR technical success rate was 93.4% (612/655). Immediate lymphatic reconstruction technical success did not vary significantly between groups (p = 0.415). Groups were similar in number of reconstructed lymphatic channels (p = 0.173), with a median of 2 (IQR 1-3) channels. The most common reasons for ILR not being performed (n = 52) included failure to identify blue lymphatic channels by axillary reverse mapping (n = 21) and no suitable veins for the reconstruction (n = 11). On multivariable analysis, White race and lower body mass index were significant predictors of ILR technical success.

conclusionsIn patients undergoing ALND, ILR was successfully performed in > 90% of cases, irrespective of concurrent or staged SLND/TAD procedures. Most patients (62.9%) had at least 2 lymphatic channels reconstructed. Deferring decision-making about completion ALND for final pathology from SLND/TAD does not appear to negatively impact technical success of ILR.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsLymph Node ExcisionAgedAxillaFemaleHumansMiddle AgedNeoplasm StagingPrognosisRetrospective StudiesSentinel Lymph Node BiopsyAxillary lymph node dissectionAxillary reverse mappingAxillary surgeryBreast cancerBreast cancer related lymphedemaImmediate lymphatic reconstructionLymphedemaLymphovenous bypass

Identifiers

PMID42390662
PMCPMC13630957

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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.