The role of sentinel lymph node biopsy in planning adjuvant therapy for elderly women with low-risk breast cancer.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) guides adjuvant therapy in breast cancer. There is controversy regarding its use in elderly women with low-risk breast cancer. This study aimed to determine whether a positive SLNB in this group affected the decision to offer adjuvant therapy compared with younger patients. This retrospective review included 492 patients, 89 of whom had a positive SLNB. Elderly, node-positive women were significantly less likely to receive chemotherapy than their younger counterparts (P < .0001), suggesting the use of SLNB in the elderly could be rationalized.