A comparison of sentinel node biopsy before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy: timing is important.

Background: Because neoadjuvant chemotherapy is being used more frequently, the optimal timing of sentinel node biopsy (SNB) remains controversial. We previously evaluated the predictive value of SNB before neoadjuvant chemotherapy in clinically node-negative breast cancer. Our identification rate of the sentinel node among 52 patients before chemotherapy with a mean tumor size of 4 cm was 100%.

Preoperative therapy with trastuzumab and paclitaxel followed by sequential adjuvant doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide for HER2 overexpressing stage II or III breast cancer: a pilot study.

Purpose: Trastuzumab combined with chemotherapy improves outcomes for women with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpressing advanced breast cancer. We conducted a pilot study of preoperative trastuzumab and paclitaxel, followed by surgery and adjuvant doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide chemotherapy in earlier stage breast cancer.

Patients And Methods: Patients with HER2-positive (2+ or 3+ by immunohistochemistry) stage II or III breast cancer received preoperative trastuzumab (4 mg/kg x 1, then 2 mg/kg/wk x 11) in combination with paclitaxel (175 mg/m(2) every 3 weeks x 4).