The aim of the work was to analyse the potential influence of different factors on the surgical detection of sentinel lymph node in breast cancer. The procedure has been performed in 704 patients. In 43 out of the 704 cases, the SN was not detected, 24 were palpable and 19 had no palpable tumors. Lymphoscitigraphy was done in 2 h p.i. of 37-55 MBq of 99mTc-nanocolloid. The day before surgery in palpable tumours and 4 h previous to surgery in non-palpable tumours, surgical detection was performed using a gammaprobe. The following factors were analysed: patient age, tumour size, breast quadrant tumour localization, scintigraphic visualizatio,n and the palpation of the tumour. Results: Patient age was significantly (p<0.001) higher in the patients in whom SN was not detected. Scintigraphic visualization was significantly (p<0.05) lower in the patients in whom SN was not detected. There were no significant differences concerning the other parameters analysed. Conclusion: patient age and scintigraphic visualization are parameters that directly influence the detection of sentinel node in breast cancer.
Sentinel node; breast cancer