Omitting completion axillary lymph node dissection after detection of sentinel node micrometastases in breast cancer: first results from the prospective SENOMIC trial

Background: Completion axillary lymph node dissection has been abandoned widely among patients with breast cancer and sentinel lymph node micrometastases, based on evidence from prospective RCTs. Inclusion in these trials has been subject to selection bias, with patients undergoing mastectomy being under-represented. The aim of the SENOMIC (omission of axillary lymph node dissection in SENtinel NOde MICrometases) trial was to confirm the safety of omission of axillary lymph node dissection in patients with breast cancer and sentinel lymph node micrometastases, and including patients undergoing mastectomy.

Methods: The prospective SENOMIC multicentre cohort trial enrolled patients with breast cancer and sentinel lymph node micrometastases who had breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy at one of 23 Swedish hospitals between October 2013 and March 2017. No completion axillary lymph node dissection was performed. The primary endpoint was event-free survival, with a trial accrual target of 452 patients. Survival proportions were based on Kaplan-Meier survival estimates.

Results: The trial included 566 patients. Median follow-up was 38 (range 7-67) months. The 3-year event-free survival rate was 96.2 per cent, based on 26 reported breast cancer recurrences, including five isolated axillary recurrences. The unadjusted 3-year event-free survival rate was higher than anticipated, but differed between patients who had mastectomy and those who underwent breast-conserving surgery (93.8 versus 97.8 per cent respectively; P = 0.011). Patients who underwent mastectomy had significantly worse tumour characteristics. On univariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, patients who had mastectomy without adjuvant radiotherapy had a significantly higher risk of recurrence than those who underwent breast-conserving surgery (hazard ratio 2.91, 95 per cent c.i. 1.25 to 6.75).

Conclusion: After 3 years, event-free survival was excellent in patients with breast cancer and sentinel node micrometastases despite omission of axillary lymph node dissection. Long-term follow-up and continued enrolment of patients having mastectomy, especially those not receiving adjuvant radiotherapy, are of utmost importance.