What does this research mean for the field?

Post-neoadjuvant radiologic nodal clearance accurately predicts pathological complete response in cN2 breast cancer, suggesting that limited surgical staging (SLNB/TAD) is feasible for carefully selected responders. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate whether post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy radiologic axillary response can guide selective axillary surgical de-escalation in patients presenting with cN2 breast cancer.

September 8, 2026CancersOpen Access

Radiologic Axillary Response After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in cN2 Breast Cancer: Decision Support for Selective Axillary De-Escalation

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

MNMehmet Ali NazlıEskişehir City Hospital EÜEmel ÜreIstanbul Metropolitan Municipality SGSümeyye Yeliz GümüştaşIstanbul Metropolitan Municipality

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Retrospective cohort study reveals radiologic nodal clearance predicts pathologic response in cN2 breast cancer, suggesting selected patients can safely omit extensive axillary dissection.

Key Points

To evaluate whether post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy radiologic axillary response can guide selective axillary surgical de-escalation in patients presenting with cN2 breast cancer.
Retrospective single-center cohort of 166 patients with pathologically confirmed axillary metastasis treated between October 2020 and August 2024.
Patients completed neoadjuvant systemic therapy, underwent post-treatment axillary ultrasound to determine radiologic clearance (radN0), and received definitive axillary surgery.
Radiologic nodal clearance (radN0) occurred in 36.7% (61/166) of cases and strongly predicted axillary pathological complete response [ypN0(i−)], occurring in 86.9% (53/61) of radN0 cases versus 5.7% (6/105) of radN+ cases (p < 0.001).
Among radN0 cases, 77.0% (47/61) received limited sentinel lymph node biopsy or targeted axillary dissection without full dissection; 91.5% (43/47) achieved ypN0(i−) with no axillary recurrences at 36 months median follow-up.
Axillary complete response rates differed significantly by molecular subtype, ranging from 20.5% in HR+/HER2− disease to 72.2% in triple-negative disease (p < 0.001).

Cite This Study

Nazlı et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9fd7e758e84d0ff5b46fee https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18172874

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Implication

Retrospective cohort study reveals radiologic nodal clearance predicts pathologic response in cN2 breast cancer, suggesting selected patients can safely omit extensive axillary dissection.

Radiologic Axillary Response After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in cN2 Breast Cancer: Decision Support for Selective Axillary De-Escalation

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Radiologic Axillary Response After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in cN2 Breast Cancer: Decision Support for Selective Axillary De-Escalation

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Also Consider