Prof Marjolein Smidt speaks to ecancer about omission of sentinel lymph node biopsy in clinically T1-2 node-negative breast cancer patients treated with breast-conserving therapy: results of the Dutch BOOG 2013-08 randomised controlled trial after a median follow-up of 5 years.

Results from the trial show that omitting sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) does not compromise regional disease control in patients with clinically T1–2, node-negative, HR-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer treated with breast-conserving surgery and whole-breast radiotherapy.

Prof Smidt says that after a median follow-up of five years, regional recurrence-free survival was similar between patients who underwent SLNB and those who did not, with no statistically significant difference in lymph node recurrence rates.

These findings support surgical de-escalation and suggest that SLNB can be safely omitted in selected patients, particularly those over 50 years with low-grade, small tumors.