A prospective randomized trial comparing patent blue and methylene blue for the detection of the sentinel lymph node in breast cancer patients

• Autor(a) principal: Paulinelli,Régis Resende
• Data de Publicação: 2017
• Outros Autores: Freitas-Junior,Ruffo, Rahal,Rosemar Macedo de Souza, Oliveira,Luis Fernando de Pádua, Vilela,Maria Helena Tavares, Moreira,Marise Amaral Rebouças, Alves,Katyane Larissa, Peleja,Marina Berquó, Resende,Tatiane Coelho Capel de
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0104-42302017000200118
• topic: breast cancer; sentinel lymph node; patent blue; methylene blue; randomized controlled trial

Summary Introduction: Methylene blue is more widely available and less expensive than patent blue, with an apparently lower risk of anaphylaxis. Objective: The two dyes were compared regarding detection of the sentinel lymph node (SLN). Method: A prospective, randomized trial involved 142 patients with invasive breast carcinoma. Sixty-nine (49.3%) assigned to patent blue (group A) and 71 (50.70%) to methylene blue (group B). Thirty-five patients (25.0%) were clinical stage III or IV; 55 (38.7%) had axillary lymph nodes affected; and 69 (49.3%) underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Two patients were excluded because the dye type was not recorded. Results: Patients and tumor characteristics were similar in both groups. SLNs were identified in 47 women (68.1%) in group A and 43 (60.6%) in group B (p=0.35). SLNs were affected in 22 cases (51.2%) in group A and 21 (48.8%) in group B (p=0.62). The SLN was the only node affected in 12 cases (54.5%) in group A and six (33.3%) in group B (p=0.18). The time and degree of difficulty involved in identifying the SLN were similar in both groups. There were no complications or allergies. Conclusion: Methylene blue performed as well as patent blue in identifying the SLN in breast cancer patients.