The value of sentinel lymph node biopsy in elderly breast cancer patients

Although sentinel lymph node biopsy has been accepted as a useful procedure for certain breast cancer patients, the value of this procedure in the elderly remains unknown. We undertook this study to evaluate changes in adjuvant treatment attributable to sentinel lymph node biopsy. A total of 104 patients > or =65 years underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy plus lumpectomy or mastectomy for the treatment of clinically node-negative invasive breast cancer. Demographic, pathologic, and treatment data were evaluated using an SAS software package (SAS, Cary, North Carolina). Twenty-nine of 104 patients (28%) had metastatic disease in > or =1 sentinel lymph node. Nonsurgical treatment was modified in 38% of patients because of sentinel lymph node biopsy results. Changes included adjuvant chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy, adjuvant axillary radiotherapy, and decisions against adjuvant therapy. These data suggest that sentinel lymph node biopsy in elderly breast cancer patients is beneficial.