Carbon marking failure in targeted axillary dissection post neoadjuvant treatment for breast cancer - single centre study and comparison with other published work

Background: Minimising surgery in the axilla for patients with breast cancer is becoming a very popular solution showing great advantages and minimising the risks of axillary clearance. Targeted axillary dissection is currently being investigated as a part of various trials and it is an important option in management for both patients and surgeons.

Methods: While collecting another study, we discovered an interesting secondary outcome of failure of marking specific node. We have focussed our attention specifically on carbon marking as it was a standard method in our institution at the time. 

Results: A collection of 194 patients undergoing TAD in the period between 2021 and 2024 had been created. 42 have been excluded while the remaining 152 have been investigated fully, including pathology slides. Only 2.6% of cases have shown failure to identify nodes.

Discussion: Carbon marking is a valid method of marking although some higher level of evidence is missing. From the units that use carbon marking as routine, the results are comparable.