Axillary micro- and macrometastases in @entity0 : prognostic significance of XXXX size.

@entity1 @entity0 @entity5 @entity3 @entity35
Recurrence and survival data at 10 years were examined for 147 @entity1 with single axillary lymph node @entity3 found in a modified radical or standard radical mastectomy. The cases were identified through a review of all @entity1 with primary operable @entity0 treated at Memorial Hospital from 1964 to 1970. The @entity1 were stratified into groups according to size of the @entity5 and of the metastatic deposit (micro less than or equal to 2 mm; macro greater than 2 mm) as well as level of the positive node. In the entire series, there was a significantly poorer prognosis among those @entity1 with single macrometastases (30/77 @entity1 ; 39% recurrence rate) when compared with those having micrometastases (17/70 @entity1 : 24% recurrence rate). A major prognostic difference emerged after stratification by @entity5 size. Within the first six years of the follow-up period, T1 @entity1 with negative nodes and those with single micrometastases had similar survival curves, significantly better than those with macrometastases. However, at 12 years, the survival @entity35 of those @entity1 with either a micro- or macrometastases was nearly identical, and significantly worse than for those @entity1 with negative lymph nodes. On the other hand, among @entity1 with @entity5 2.1-5.0 cm (T2), @entity1 with negative lymph nodes or single micrometastases had survival curves that did not differ significantly throughout the course of the follow-up period. Both had an outcome significantly better than observed for @entity1 with macrometastases. These findings have important implications for our understanding of the clinical behaviour of @entity0 and for the stratification of @entity1 entered into randomized treatment trials.
