ALND vs ART in Positive Sentinel Node After Neoadjuvant Therapy in Breast Cancer

This clinical trial is studying a new way to manage lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer who have completed treatment before surgery, such as chemotherapy or hormone therapy. Specifically, it looks at whether targeted radiation to the armpit can replace the surgical removal of several lymph nodes, known as axillary lymph node dissection. The goal is to see if radiation can effectively prevent the cancer from returning while lowering the risk of lymphedema, a painful swelling of the arm that often follows extensive surgery. If you participate, you will be assigned to receive either the traditional surgery to remove lymph nodes or axillary radiation therapy.

This study may be an option for you if you were diagnosed with stage T1 to T4 breast cancer that originally had little to no involvement in the lymph nodes. To qualify, you must have completed at least 70% of your planned chemotherapy or six months of hormone therapy, and your recent imaging should show that your cancer responded well to that treatment. If your surgeon finds cancer in one or two of your sentinel nodes after your initial treatment, you may be eligible. You should talk to your doctor about whether your specific type of cancer and your response to treatment make this study a safe choice for you, and discuss how the different approaches to treating the lymph nodes might impact your recovery and long-term quality of life.