The impact of axillary lymph node dissection on the prognosis of breast cancer patients undergoing up-front mastectomy with Sentinel lymph node micrometastases

Abstract Traditionally, completion axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) has been standard for breast cancer patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs). However, ALND poses risks of morbidity. Recent trials suggest omission of ALND may be safe in selected cases. Controversy exists regarding...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Wu Ding, YongTian Chen, Yingli Lin, Xiaoliang Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91405-1
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850181526449291264
author Wu Ding
YongTian Chen
Yingli Lin
Xiaoliang Chen
author_facet Wu Ding
YongTian Chen
Yingli Lin
Xiaoliang Chen
author_sort Wu Ding
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Traditionally, completion axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) has been standard for breast cancer patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs). However, ALND poses risks of morbidity. Recent trials suggest omission of ALND may be safe in selected cases. Controversy exists regarding ALND omission in mastectomy patients with micrometastases. We retrospectively analyzed data from 12 centers in China and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Patients with T1-2 breast cancer and SLN micrometastases who underwent up-front mastectomy were included. Patients were categorized into two groups: Non-ALND and ALND. Clinicopathological factors and survival outcomes were compared between the two groups. A total of 118 patients from 12 centers in China and 4,884 patients from the SEER database were included in the analysis. The Non-ALND group demonstrated non-inferiority in terms of recurrence-free survival (RFS), locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS), and overall survival (OS) when compared to the ALND group. Multivariable analysis identified significant predictors of survival outcomes. This study supports the omission of ALND in T1-2N1mi breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy, demonstrating comparable survival outcomes to those undergoing ALND. Proper patient selection is essential for tailored treatment strategies.
format Article
id doaj-art-c8a87545a8664fd68d6d9462bbdbf0d4
institution OA Journals
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-c8a87545a8664fd68d6d9462bbdbf0d42025-08-20T02:17:53ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-03-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-91405-1The impact of axillary lymph node dissection on the prognosis of breast cancer patients undergoing up-front mastectomy with Sentinel lymph node micrometastasesWu Ding0YongTian Chen1Yingli Lin2Xiaoliang Chen3Department of Oncological Surgery, Shaoxing Second HospitalDepartment of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Sanming First Hospital, Fujian Medical UniversityDepartment of Early Childhood Education, Shaoxing Vocational & Technical CollegeDepartment of Thyroid, Breast & Hernia Surgery, Tiantai People’s Hospital of Zhejiang Province (Tiantai Branch of Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical CollegeAbstract Traditionally, completion axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) has been standard for breast cancer patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs). However, ALND poses risks of morbidity. Recent trials suggest omission of ALND may be safe in selected cases. Controversy exists regarding ALND omission in mastectomy patients with micrometastases. We retrospectively analyzed data from 12 centers in China and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Patients with T1-2 breast cancer and SLN micrometastases who underwent up-front mastectomy were included. Patients were categorized into two groups: Non-ALND and ALND. Clinicopathological factors and survival outcomes were compared between the two groups. A total of 118 patients from 12 centers in China and 4,884 patients from the SEER database were included in the analysis. The Non-ALND group demonstrated non-inferiority in terms of recurrence-free survival (RFS), locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS), and overall survival (OS) when compared to the ALND group. Multivariable analysis identified significant predictors of survival outcomes. This study supports the omission of ALND in T1-2N1mi breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy, demonstrating comparable survival outcomes to those undergoing ALND. Proper patient selection is essential for tailored treatment strategies.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91405-1Breast cancerTotal mastectomySentinel lymph nodeMacrometastasisAxillary therapy
spellingShingle Wu Ding
YongTian Chen
Yingli Lin
Xiaoliang Chen
The impact of axillary lymph node dissection on the prognosis of breast cancer patients undergoing up-front mastectomy with Sentinel lymph node micrometastases
Scientific Reports
Breast cancer
Total mastectomy
Sentinel lymph node
Macrometastasis
Axillary therapy
title The impact of axillary lymph node dissection on the prognosis of breast cancer patients undergoing up-front mastectomy with Sentinel lymph node micrometastases
title_full The impact of axillary lymph node dissection on the prognosis of breast cancer patients undergoing up-front mastectomy with Sentinel lymph node micrometastases
title_fullStr The impact of axillary lymph node dissection on the prognosis of breast cancer patients undergoing up-front mastectomy with Sentinel lymph node micrometastases
title_full_unstemmed The impact of axillary lymph node dissection on the prognosis of breast cancer patients undergoing up-front mastectomy with Sentinel lymph node micrometastases
title_short The impact of axillary lymph node dissection on the prognosis of breast cancer patients undergoing up-front mastectomy with Sentinel lymph node micrometastases
title_sort impact of axillary lymph node dissection on the prognosis of breast cancer patients undergoing up front mastectomy with sentinel lymph node micrometastases
topic Breast cancer
Total mastectomy
Sentinel lymph node
Macrometastasis
Axillary therapy
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91405-1
work_keys_str_mv AT wuding theimpactofaxillarylymphnodedissectionontheprognosisofbreastcancerpatientsundergoingupfrontmastectomywithsentinellymphnodemicrometastases
AT yongtianchen theimpactofaxillarylymphnodedissectionontheprognosisofbreastcancerpatientsundergoingupfrontmastectomywithsentinellymphnodemicrometastases
AT yinglilin theimpactofaxillarylymphnodedissectionontheprognosisofbreastcancerpatientsundergoingupfrontmastectomywithsentinellymphnodemicrometastases
AT xiaoliangchen theimpactofaxillarylymphnodedissectionontheprognosisofbreastcancerpatientsundergoingupfrontmastectomywithsentinellymphnodemicrometastases
AT wuding impactofaxillarylymphnodedissectionontheprognosisofbreastcancerpatientsundergoingupfrontmastectomywithsentinellymphnodemicrometastases
AT yongtianchen impactofaxillarylymphnodedissectionontheprognosisofbreastcancerpatientsundergoingupfrontmastectomywithsentinellymphnodemicrometastases
AT yinglilin impactofaxillarylymphnodedissectionontheprognosisofbreastcancerpatientsundergoingupfrontmastectomywithsentinellymphnodemicrometastases
AT xiaoliangchen impactofaxillarylymphnodedissectionontheprognosisofbreastcancerpatientsundergoingupfrontmastectomywithsentinellymphnodemicrometastases