Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study to compare the success rates of radionuclide and methylene blue methods in detecting sentinel lymph nodes and evaluate the success rates of techniques or technique combinations in breast cancer patients.

METHODS

In this prospective study we evaluated 287 breast cancer patients referred to Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital between February 2006 and March 2010. Patients whom we performed methylene blue method alone was named as Group I, radiocolloid substance method alone as Group II and both methylene blue and radiocolloid method as Group III. Patients dispatched groups randomly. We calculated the overall success rate and success rates of each techniques seperately.

RESULTS

When considered for all groups overall sentinel lymph node detecting success rate was 83,3%. When considered for each group, success rate was 80% for group I (methylene blue alone group), 84,9% for group II (radiocolloid substance alone group) and 90,6% for group III (combined group). Statistically there was no difference between group I and group II (p=0,425) but there was a statistical difference between group I and group III (p<0,05).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

The usage of vital dyes and radioactive colloidal substances alone has high success rates but combined method increases the success rate obviously.