Breast Surgery

Research Activities

Serum c-erbB-2 as a protein marker.
Overexpression of the c-erbB-2 protooncogene was reported to be associated with a poor prognosis of primary breast cancer. It was examined whether the serum levels of the c-erbB-2 oncogene protein helped to monitor tumor recurrence in operated breast cancer patients. The sera of 86 patients were collected at pre- and postoperative period from 1996 to 2000. It was demonstrated that serum c-erbB-2 is an independent prognostic marker. (1) Currently, a new prospective study on this marker is in progress.

Sentinel Node Biopsy

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is fast emerging as the preferred alternative to standard axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in early-stage breast cancer patients. The combination of injection of blue dye and radioisotope (RI) is the most reliable method of SLN detection. The relationship between the intensity of the radioactive counts and the presence of tumor metastasis in the SLN was examined. Metastasis was detected in the SLN with the highest radioactive count (the hottest SLN) in 94/123 cases with positive SLNs. The 29 cases showed metastasis in lymph nodes other than the hottest SLNs. These data suggest that lymph node metastasis may not always be detected in the hottest SLN. Thus, in practice, all radioactive and/or blue dye-stained nodes should be removed for further examination. (2)

Radiofrequency Ablation Therapy

Non-surgical ablation is an attractive approach for local control of early-stage breast cancer. Thirty cases were enrolled in a clinical trial of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) followed by partial mastectomy to investigate the complications and efficacy of RFA therapy for breast cancer. The preliminary results revealed that the complications of skin burn and pectoralis major muscle burn were observed in 2 and 6 patients, respectively, and that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide diaphorase did not stain the viable tumor cells in the RF-ablated region in 21/23 cases.

● N. Wada ●

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