Axillary lymph node metastasis Axillary lymph nodes represent the first site of metastatic dissemination. Histologically axillary metastases vary from massive metastatic growth destroying the lymph node architecture to small focuses presenting with individual cytokeratin positive cells or cell clusters. The size of the carcinoma foci (<0.2mm , 0.2-2mm, >2mm) is used in the current version of TNM classification.
Sentinel lymph node metastasis
Sentinel lymph nodes are located first in the axillary or parasternal lymphatic drainage tree. The sentinel nodes are the first lymph nodes to become metastasized from breast tumors, and when the sentinel nodes are found to be carcinoma-free, upper nodes need not be surgically removed.
In sentinel node surgery, pathologists examine the sentinel node(s) intraoperatively using frozen sections. Identification of small carcinoma foci with toluidine blue or HE stainings is difficult and may lead to false negative diagnoses in up to 10-20% of cases. Ultrarapid pan-cytokeratin immunostaining is a promising new aid in the intraoperative sentinel node diagnostics.
Toluidine
blue
Intraoperative
pan-cytokeratin
Paraffin-control
/HE
Paraffin-control
/pan-cytokeratin
All material on this website is protected by
copyright. By accessing or downloading contents
from this website, you expressly agree and consent to
our terms and conditions.
publications
