Intraoperative fluorescence diagnosis of breast cancer metastases into the regional lymph nodes

Intraoperative fluorescence diagnosis (FD) of breast cancer (BC) metastases into the regional lymph nodes was made in 51 patients who were divided into 2 groups: 1) 43 patients who had undergone surgical treatment in the first stage; 2) 8 who had received 2 to 4 courses of neoadjuant chemotherapy in the first stage and had been operated on in the second stage. Intraoperative FD was made using Alasens. Alasens-induced protoporphyrin IX fluorescence was assessed, by applying the methods of visual fluorescence determination and local fluorescence spectroscopy. The investigators examined a total of 384 lymph nodes, including 312 and 72 nodes in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. In Group 1, the sensitivity and specificity of the method were 84.8 and 84%, respectively; in Group 2, these were 69.4 and 78%. The first experience in using intraoperative FD of metastatic involvement in the regional lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer showed the high efficiency of and promise for this method.

fluorescence diagnosis, breast cancer, intraoperative diagnosis