Spots Global Cancer Trial Database for Sentinel Node Biopsy Alone or With Axillary Dissection After Primary Chemotherapy

Study Description

Brief Summary: Many doctors believe that breast cancer patients scheduled for pre-operative chemotherapy whose cancer has spread to the axilla (determined by palpation plus ultrasound) should not receive sentinel node biopsy after chemotherapy, but proceed directly to removal of all the axillary lymph nodes. In this study, breast cancer patients with operable medium-size cancer (T2) scheduled for pre-operative chemotherapy, and a disease-free or a metastatic axilla, are prospectively assigned to receive sentinel node biopsy as part of their post-chemotherapy surgical treatment (whose main aim is to remove the cancer in the breast). Irrespective of whether the axilla is disease-free or metastatic before chemotherapy, if the removed sentinel nodes are disease-free on histological examination (pN0) after chemotherapy, then no further axillary treatment is given. If however the sentinel nodes contain cancer, then the other axillary lymph nodes will be removed surgically. The study hypothesis is that, irrespective of whether the axilla is disease-free or metastatic before chemotherapy, patients with negative axillary sentinel nodes on histological examination (pN0) after chemotherapy, and who are no given further axillary treatment, will do as well as pN1 patients whose axillary lymph nodes are completely removed (a more aggressive treatment).

Detailed Description:

Keywords

Eligibility

Minimum Age:

Eligible Ages: CHILD, ADULT, OLDER_ADULT

Sex: FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers: No

Locations

Contact Details

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