OBJECTIVES:
To determine the effects of complete axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) on survival of patients with sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis of breast cancer.
OUTLINE: This is a randomized multicenter study. Before randomization, all women were stratified according to age (≤50 years, \>50 years), tumor size(≤2cm, \>2cm) and research center. All the patients underwent lumpectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). Eligible women were randomly assigned to ALND or no ALND Active Comparator: Patients undergo axillary lymph node dissection involving removal of at least level I and II nodes.
Experimental: No surgery of axillary lymph node in this arm. All the patients were to receive whole-breast opposing tangential-field radiation therapy. The use of adjuvant systemic therapy was determined by the treating physician according to the recently NCCN.
Patients are followed up every 4 months for the first 2 years, every 6 months from the third year to the fifth year, and then annually for a total of 10 years.
