Cytopathological Findings of Axillary Lymph Nodes in Patients with Breast Cancer in Correlation with Ultrasound Findings.

Background & Objective: Another important factor in the staging and management of breast cancer is axillary lymph node metastasis. This research paper was intended to evaluate the diagnostic effectiveness of axillary ultrasound (US) and its relationship with fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) as a preoperative staging method in patients with breast cancer. Methods: We recruited 130 patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer. All patients underwent axillary US, and FNAC was performed on any suspicious lymph nodes. Results: A correlation between axillary lymph node ultrasound characteristics and cytology was also significant in the study of 130 patients with breast cancer. Positive biopsy results were related to irregular shape, increased size, thickened cortex, hypoechoic echogenicity, and absence of an intact hilum. It was found that ultrasound had a sensitivity of 98.9%, a PPV of 72%, an NPV of 80%, and an accuracy of 72.3%, which proved its usefulness in predicting nodal malignancy. Conclusion: Axillary US is highly sensitive in the identification of axillary lymph node involvement, and it has a close correlation with FNAC. These two techniques together can be used successfully to direct preoperative tumor staging, which may result in fewer patients undergoing unnecessary surgical procedures, such as sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection, thereby reducing morbidity.