Objective
To study the best examination method of micrometastases in sentinel lymph node (SLN) of breast cancer and study the related factors with micrometastases.
Methods
By step serial sectioning technique and immunohistochemistry, 121 SLNs and 44 tumors of 59 cases were examined.
Results
Micrometastases was found in 17 SLNs (14%) of 14 (24%) cases. The more sections or examination methods, the more micrometastases were found. Micrometastases was related with the tumor size and the expression of c-erbB2, MMP-2 and VEGF.
Conclusion
The best examination method is making sections at two levels with 100 μm interval and combination of HE staining and muc1 immunohistochemistry. We can get the excellent detection/cost by this method. Micrometastases is a bad prognostic factor.