Axillary staging using ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy in locally advanced XXXX .

@entity1 @entity5 @entity0
BACKGROUND: Axillary lymph node status is important for staging and planning therapy prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in @entity1 with locally advanced @entity0 (LABC). The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of axillary ultrasonography coupled with fine needle aspiration biopsy (US-FNAB) to determine lymph node status prior to initiation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: @entity1 with a LABC, defined as a @entity0 clinically larger than 3.0 cm or a cytology positive axillary lymph node, were evaluated by clinical examination followed by ultrasonographic evaluation. Lymph nodes were categorized as suspicious for @entity5 based on size >1.0 cm, decrease in the fatty hilum, or parenchymal echogenicity. US-FNAB was performed on all @entity1 . Most @entity1 received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by definitive surgery. Axillary surgery consisted of axillary lymph node dissection. Axillary status by clinical examination and US-FNAB was compared with that obtained by axillary node dissection. RESULTS: From January 1998 to May 2001, 26 @entity1 (27 axillae) presented with LABC to our institution. The median age of these @entity1 was 48 years. The sensitivity and specificity of US-FNAB for evaluating axillary metastatic disease in @entity1 with LABC were 100% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In @entity1 with locally advanced @entity0 , axillary ultrasonography coupled with fine needle aspiration biopsy can accurately stage the axilla. It is particularly useful and should be used more frequently in @entity1 undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The use of ultrasonography to stage the axilla in @entity1 who present with small @entity0 should be explored.
