Staging primary breast cancer. Are there tumour pathological features that correlate with a false-negative axillary ultrasound?

S Johnson, S Brown, G Porter, J Steel, K Paisley, R Watkins, C Holgate

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

AIM: To investigate whether the histopathological characteristics of primary breast cancer tumours could predict the likelihood of false-negative axillary ultrasound. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Screening and symptomatic patients were identified from pathology records and imaging and pathology records reviewed. True and false-negative axillary staging ultrasound groups were compared statistically in terms of tumour size, pathological type and grade, lymphovascular invasion, and oestrogen receptor (ER) status. RESULTS: Of 155 women with normal ultrasounds, 45 (29%) were node positive at axillary surgery. Breast tumour size was significantly different with the average size smaller in the true-negative group: 21 versus 30 mm (p < 0.02). The histological type varied significantly between the groups, with more lobular carcinomas in the false-negative group [6/110 (5%) versus 6/45 (13%), p < 0.001]. The false-negative group was also more likely to show lymphovascular invasion in the breast [6/110 (5%) versus 14/45 (31%), p < 0.001]. There was no significant difference in tumour grade or ER status. CONCLUSION: The present study has found significant differences in tumour characteristics between women with true-negative and false-negative axillary staging ultrasound in terms of size, primary tumour histological type and presence of lymphovascular invasion. In particular, axillary ultrasound in primary lobular carcinoma may be less accurate and a negative result is more likely to be spurious than with primary ductal carcinomas.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)497-499
Number of pages0
JournalClin Radiol
Volume66
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2011

Keywords

  • Aged
  • Axilla
  • Breast Neoplasms
  • False Negative Reactions
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymph Nodes
  • Lymphatic Metastasis
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Ultrasonography

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