“…- The meta-analysis of two studies 21,22 by Liang et al 18 concluded that omission of axillary staging by ALND in women age 70 years or older, with clinically negative axilla, resulted in increased risk of regional recurrence (relative risk [RR] 0.24; 95% CI, 0.06 to 0.95; I 2 = 0%; P = .04), but did not affect overall and breast cancer–specific mortality (RR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.79 to 1.24; I 2 = 0%; P = .92 and RR 1.07; 95% CI, 0.72 to 1.57; I 2 = 0%; P = .75, respectively).
- Our update of the meta-analysis by Liang et al 18 with one additional study 20 confirmed these results for OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.09; 95% CI, 0.85 to 1.39; P = .5; I 2 = 0%) and for DFS (HR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.81 to 1.38; P = .69; I 2 = 0%).
- One of the included studies 22 reported on quality of life defined as a physician and self-assessed report of pain or restriction in movement of the arm. Physicians and patients alike reported a significant increase in pain (23% v 7%, P = .00006) and restriction of movement (39% v 15%, P = .000001) for the ALND group compared with the SLNB-only group.
- Data will be forthcoming in the next several years from four ongoing clinical trials 23-26 comparing SLNB with no axillary staging.
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