Role of Hormonal Receptor in Predicting Sentinel Lymph Node Metastasis in Early Breast Cancer

Background: Sentinel lymph node biopsy is one of the minimally invasive techniques that can confirm the presence of metastasis of regional lymph nodes in cancer. Sentinel lymph node biopsy can be done with a lymph mapping technique using blue-dye, radiotracer, or a combination of both. In developing countries, sentinel lymph node biopsy is often done with a single agent, which is the blue dye. The limitation of conducting SLNB in Indonesia is the availability of patent blue dye and radioisotope tracer. To overcome that, a hormonal receptor is expected to aid in predicting sentinel lymph node metastasis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the hormonal receptor as a prognostic factor of sentinel lymph node metastasis in breast cancer.

Methods: This study was conducted in Universitas Sumatera Utara Teaching Hospital with the acknowledgment from the Ethics Committee of the respected hospital by the number of 116/KEP/USU/2020. Total of 51 patients participated in this research.

Results: Statistically, the p-value in each immunohistochemistry group is > 0.05 in all ER (+) / PR (+); ER (+) / PR (-); ER (-) / PR (+) groups. This shows that there is no significant relationship between hormonal receptors on sentinel lymph node metastases.

Conclusion: The statistical evaluation showed that there is no significant correlation between the hormonal receptor and sentinel lymph node metastasis (p>0.05), but is found clinically significant. Therefore, hormonal receptors should be considered as a predicting factor for sentinel lymph node metastasis.