What question did this study set out to answer?

To assess the effectiveness of radiotracer-free axillary staging using ICG and methylene blue after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and its implications on clipped node retrieval.

August 11, 2026CancersOpen Access

Radiotracer-Free Axillary Staging with ICG and Methylene Blue After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Does Failure to Retrieve the Clipped Node Matter?

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

MTMerve TokoçinUniversity of Health Science SKSevda KanatBağcılar Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi SCSelçuk CinIstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Retrospective cohort study evaluates axillary staging outcomes in patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, suggesting feasibility of dual-tracer method without radiotracers.

Key Points

To assess the effectiveness of radiotracer-free axillary staging using ICG and methylene blue after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and its implications on clipped node retrieval.
Retrospective single-centre cohort study of 49 patients with cN1 breast cancer who achieved ycN0 status after NAC.
Patients underwent dual-tracer sentinel lymph node biopsy using indocyanine green (ICG) and methylene blue.
Analysis included clipped node retrieval rates, tracer-specific detection, and clinical outcomes such as recurrence and disease-free survival.
Clipped node retrieval was achieved in 41 of 49 patients (83.7%).
ICG significantly outperformed methylene blue for clipped node identification (80.5% vs. 61.0%, p = 0.001).
Recurrence rates were similar between retrieval and non-retrieval groups (17.1% vs. 12.5%, p = 1.000), with no isolated axillary recurrences observed.

Cite This Study

Tokoçin et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a7ace343401087f2249e181 https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18162550

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Implication

Retrospective cohort study evaluates axillary staging outcomes in patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, suggesting feasibility of dual-tracer method without radiotracers.

Radiotracer-Free Axillary Staging with ICG and Methylene Blue After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Does Failure to Retrieve the Clipped Node Matter?

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Radiotracer-Free Axillary Staging with ICG and Methylene Blue After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Does Failure to Retrieve the Clipped Node Matter?

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Also Consider