Table 1.
Characteristics of patients with breast cancer and axillary lymph node recurrence
| Characteristic | Number (%) |
|---|---|
| Patients | 21 |
| Initial surgical treatment | |
| SLN | 7 (33.3) |
| ALND | 14 (66.7) |
| Initial UICC pathological stage | |
| IA | 7 (33.3) |
| IIA | 8 (38.2) |
| IIB | 4 (19.0) |
| IIIA | 2 (9.5) |
| Age at ALNR treatment (years) | |
| Median | 70 |
| Range | 29–82 |
| ALNR treatment | |
| ALND alone | 9 (42.9) |
| ALNB alone | 2 (9.5) |
| ALND + RT | 3 (14.3) |
| ALNB + RT | 7 (33.3) |
| Number of the lymph node | |
| Single | 5 (23.8) |
| Multiple | 16 (76.2) |
| Size of the largest lymph node (mm) | |
| < 20 mm | 12 (57.1) |
| ≥ 20 mm | 9 (42.9) |
| Corresponding metastatic lesions | |
| None | 15 (71.4) |
| Lymph node | 3 (14.3) |
| Other organs | 3 (14.3) |
| Immunohistological subtype | |
| ER+/HER2‐ | 16 (76.2) |
| ER+/HER2+ | 2 (9.5) |
| ER‐/HER2‐ | 3 (14.3) |
ALNB, axillary lymph node biopsy; ALND, axillary lymph node dissection; ALNR, axillary lymph node recurrence; RT, radiotherapy; SLN, sentinel lymph node biopsy; UICC, Union for International Cancer Control.