Prediction of axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patients based on ultrasonograhic-clinicopathologic features

  • Tuba Laiq Dr.Ziauddin University Hospital
  • Zubia Masood Dr. Ziauddin University Hospital
  • Hiba Siddiqui Dr. Ziauddin University Hospital
  • Maliha Javaid Dr. Ziauddin University Hospital
  • Muhammad Jawaid Akhtar Mallick Dr. Ziauddin University Hospital
Keywords: Breast cancer, Metastasis, Sensitivity, Specificity, Ultrasound, Axillary nodes

Abstract

Background & Objective: Determination of axillary lymph-node status plays a pivotal role in decision making for breast cancer treatment. Biopsy is the current standard of care but hold risks of complications as well. We aimed to find out the correlation of sonographic features of lymph node and histo-pathological findings, to predict axillary lymph-node metastasis in breast cancer patients.

Method: This retrospective observational study included 176 breast cancer patients at a private tertiary care hospital from January 2019 to December 2023. The study calculated sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of ultrasound (US) in identifying ALN metastasis. Also, binary logistic regression analysis was used to demonstrate the association between suspicious findings on axillary US with pathology report. Patients who never had undergone axillary surgery or with insufficient data, were excluded from our study.

Results: In our study Axillary US was found to be 84.2% sensitive, 48.1% specific, and 67.6% accurate in identifying nodal metastases. In this context, ALN metastases was strongly and independently correlated with cortical thickness > 3 mm and the absence of a fatty hilum (P <.05).

Conclusion: Ultrasound was found to be highly sensitive but not specific in predicting metastatic lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer.

Abbreviations:
ALN: Axillary lymph node. SLNBX: Sentinel lymph node biopsy. ER: Estrogen receptor. PR: Progesterone receptor.
HER-2: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. US: Ultrasound. OR: Odds ratio.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.1.10384

How to cite this: Laiq T, Masood Z, Siddiqui H, Javed M, Mallick MJA. Prediction of axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patients based on ultrasonograhic-clinicopathologic features. Pak J Med Sci. 2025;41(1):96-100. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.1.10384

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Author Biographies

Tuba Laiq, Dr.Ziauddin University Hospital

MBBS.(Post graduate trainee , Department of Oncology, Dr. Ziauddin Hospital

Zubia Masood, Dr. Ziauddin University Hospital

FCPS, MHPE  (Associate Professor of Surgery Baqai Medical University, Consultant Surgeon  Dr. Ziauddin Hospital

Hiba Siddiqui, Dr. Ziauddin University Hospital

MBBS. (Post graduate trainee, Department of Oncology

Maliha Javaid, Dr. Ziauddin University Hospital

MBBS. (Resident medical officer, Department of Oncology

Muhammad Jawaid Akhtar Mallick, Dr. Ziauddin University Hospital

MD. ( Consultant Oncologist, Head of Department of Oncology)

Published
2024-12-24
How to Cite
Laiq, T., Masood, Z., Siddiqui, H., Javaid, M., & Akhtar Mallick, M. J. (2024). Prediction of axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patients based on ultrasonograhic-clinicopathologic features. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 41(1), 96-100. https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.1.10384
Section
Original Articles