Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is a useful method for assessing axillary nodal status and selecting axillary dissection in breast cancer patients. The goals of our study were to evaluate the detection rate of SLN and determine the accuracy of SLN biopsy in predicting axillary nodal status using technetium radiolabeled sulfur colloid and isosulfan blue dye.

Between January and August 2001, 55 breast cancer patients with clinically node negative results underwent SLN biopsy from the Department of Surgery at Ajou University Hospital. Both technetium radiolabeled sulfur colloid and isosulfan blue dye were used to guide SLN biopsy. SLN biopsy was always followed by a complete axillary dissection. The histopathology of SLNs determined from frozen sectioning and serial sectioning was compared with that of the nonsentinel nodes evaluated with routine Hematoxylin and Eosin stain.

The overall SLN detection rate was 85.4% (47 of 55 patients). The staging accuracy of SLN biopsy was 97.9% (46 of 47 patients), the sensitivity 92.3% (12/13), the false negative rate 7.7% (1/13), and the negative predictive value 97.1% (34 of 35).

Our study was a pilot study for SLN biopsy. SLN biopsy was more effective when a combination of technetium radiolabeled sulfur colloid and isosulfan blue dye were used. The results of our study support the hypothesis that SLN biopsy is an accurate predictor of axillary nodal status. SLN biopsy may be applicable to early breast cancer patients and thereby allow the omission of routine axillary dissection in selected cases.