Should sentinel node biopsy (SNB) be restricted to breast cancer-dedicated surgeons? A single institution prospective trial

9689 Background: Despite numerous studies emphasizing the value of SNB in staging breast cancer (BC), this technique has not yet become a standard of care. The long recommended « learning curve », restricts the technique to a few expert surgeons and limits its widespread use. Methods: 118 successive BC patients were offered to undergo SNB prior to classical axillary dissection. 99mTc-nanocolloids were peritumorally injected by a nuclear medicine (NM) physician or by a radiologist for non palpable tumors. Dynamic and serial scintigraphic views were acquired to pinpoint the sentinel node (SN). Orthogonal SN projections were marked on the skin. A NM physician was present in the operating room for at least the first five procedures (and thereafter as often as possible) to train the surgeon to correctly use the scintigraphic views, the skin marks and the gammaprobe. Serial slices of SN and non SN were histologically analysed with HES staining. SN were also immunostained with a cytokeratin (CK) marker (CAM 5.2)...