Research Journal of Medical Sciences
ISSN: Online 1993-6095ISSN: Print 1815-9346
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Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women in India, with increasing incidence and a significant number of cases diagnosed at advanced stages. Accurate axillary staging is essential for prognosis and treatment planning. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a common approach for staging axillary lymph nodes in early breast cancer. Intra‐operative imprint cytology (IC) offers a rapid, cost‐effective method for detecting sentinel node metastases, facilitating real‐time surgical decision‐making. To evaluate the diagnostic utility of intra‐operative sentinel lymph node imprint cytology in breast cancer patients undergoing surgery in a tertiary care center in Tamil Nadu. Out of 100 patients, 38 showed metastatic involvement on final histopathology. Imprint cytology correctly identified 32 of these, yielding a sensitivity of 84.2%, specificity of 93.5%, PPV of 88.9%, NPV of 90.6%, and an overall diagnostic accuracy of 90%. False negatives were primarily due to micrometastases. Intra‐operative imprint cytology is a reliable and cost‐effective technique for sentinel lymph node evaluation in breast cancer, offering high specificity and acceptable sensitivity. It is especially useful in settings where frozen section analysis is not readily available, thus helping to guide immediate intra‐operative decisions and avoid second surgeries.
How to cite this article:
S. Roselin, G. Rajan and Lilarani Vijayaragavan. Utility of Intra‐Operative Sentinel Lymph Node Imprint Cytology in Breast Cancer Patients: A Tertiary Centre Study in Tamil Nadu.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36478/makrjms.2024.11.843.846
URL: https://www.makhillpublications.co/view-article/1815-9346/makrjms.2024.11.843.846