Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Multicentric Breast Cancer: Five-Year Results in a Large Series from a Single Institution

Purpose This study was designed to present the 5-year results of patients with multicentric breast cancer who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in a single institution. Methods Between June 1999 and December 2007, 337 patients with multicentric breast cancer and a clinically negative axilla underwent lymphatic mapping by a single periareolar/peritumoral ( n = 306) or a double peritumoral or subdermal injection ( n = 31) of 99m Tc-HSA nanocolloids. The sentinel lymph node (SLN) was evaluated by intraoperative frozen section and axillary dissection was performed only in cases of positive SLNB. Results The median age of the patients was 48 (range, 22–81) years. The mean number of hot spots identified was 1.4 in the whole series, 1.3 in patients who received a single injection, and 1.7 in those who received a double injection ( P