Commentary on JCP/2008/059600 - In-transit lymph node metastases in breast cancer: a possible source of local recurrence after Sentinel Node procedure
Abstract
In transit metastases in melanoma are intralymphatic metastases located between primary tumour site and the regional lymph nodes. Such metastases have not been recognised in breast cancer, although intralymphatic metastases do exist in this organ too. Recently, “in transit lymph nodes” have also been reported as lymph nodes associated with the afferent lymphatic vessel of lymph nodes identified as sentinel lymph nodes during dye guided lymphatic mapping. It has been suggested that such in transit lymph nodes are not rare, and may be the source of locoregional recurrence of breast cancer. Although this is an attractive hypothesis and a previously unrecognized phenomenon, it is related to false-negative sentinel node biopsies, and its frequency and contribution to recurrent breast cancer will require prospective investigation.
