Is complete axillary lymph node dissection neccessary in T1 stage invasive pure tubular carcinomas of the breast?

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency of axillary lymph node metastasis in invasive pure (not mixed) tubular carcinomas of the breast and to compare our results to other series published in the literature. We analyzed 16 cases of pure tubular carcinoma measuring 2 cm or less in diameter from our database from 1988 to 2004 diagnosed in lumpectomy and mastectomy specimens with associated axillary lymph node dissection. Histopathologic features were reviewed in all patients. In all cases, no axillary lymph node metastasis was observed (0%). These data slightly differ from the results of some studies recently published in the literature, in which the overall nodal involvement in pure tubular carcinomas ranges from 0% to 20%. We conclude that in invasive pure tubular carcinomas of the breast measuring less than 2 cm in diameter, complete axillary lymph node dissection should be avoided, and we propose a sentinel lymph node analysis instead.