Breast Surgeons Live
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Session Title:
Sentinel Lymph Node Surgery: To SOUND or Not to SOUND?
Date & Time:
November 03, 2026, 7:00 PM–7:45 PM ET
Length:
45 Minutes
CME Deadline:
November 3, 2027
This activity is open to members only:
Log InTarget Audience:
Surgeons and other healthcare providers with a special interest in the treatment of breast disease, particularly those with early-stage breast cancer.
Objectives:
At the end of this activity, participants will be able to:
- Understand contemporary data on omission of surgical axillary staging and the potential impact of omission on breast cancer treatment overall.
- Identify patients where omission of surgical axillary staging may and may not be appropriate.
Description:
Recent randomized trials, including SOUND and INSEMA, have challenged the routine use of sentinel lymph node biopsy in carefully selected patients with clinically node-negative breast cancer. As evidence supporting axillary de-escalation continues to evolve, surgeons are increasingly faced with the question of whether omission of surgical axillary staging should become part of routine clinical practice. This debate-format webinar will review the latest evidence, discuss patient selection, and explore the opportunities and challenges of implementing sentinel lymph node surgery omission in contemporary breast surgical practice.
Agenda:
Welcome and Introduction
Moderators: J. Jaime Alberty-Oller, MD, FACS & Jennifer K. Plichta, MD, MS, FACS
Implementing SOUND and INSEMA: The Case for Omitting Sentinel Lymph Node Surgery
Richard Bleicher, MD, FACS
Proceeding With Caution: Why Sentinel Lymph Node Surgery Still Has a Role
Ton Wang, MD, MS
Faculty:
Moderator—J. Jaime Alberty-Oller, MD, FACS
Kings County Hospital/NYC Health and Hospitals System
Brooklyn, NY
Moderator—Jennifer K. Plichta, MD, MS, FACS
Duke University
Durham, NC
Richard J. Bleicher, MD, FACS
Chief, Division of Breast Surgery
Director, Breast Fellowship Program
Professor, Department of Surgical Oncology
Fox Chase Cancer Center
Philadelphia, PA
Director, Breast Fellowship Program
Professor, Department of Surgical Oncology
Fox Chase Cancer Center
Philadelphia, PA
Ton Wang, MD, MS
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Surgical Oncology
Duke Women's Cancer Care
Raleigh, NC
Surgical Oncology
Duke Women's Cancer Care
Raleigh, NC
References:
- Gentilini OD, Botteri E, Sangalli C, Galimberti V, Porpiglia M, Agresti R, Luini A, Viale G, Cassano E, Peradze N, Toesca A, Massari G, Sacchini V, Munzone E, Leonardi MC, Cattadori F, Di Micco R, Esposito E, Sgarella A, Cattaneo S, Busani M, Dessena M, Bianchi A, Cretella E, Ripoll Orts F, Mueller M, Tinterri C, Chahuan Manzur BJ, Benedetto C, Veronesi P; SOUND Trial Group. Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy vs No Axillary Surgery in Patients With Small Breast Cancer and Negative Results on Ultrasonography of Axillary Lymph Nodes: The SOUND Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncol. 2023 Nov 1;9(11):1557-1564. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2023.3759. PMID: 37733364; PMCID: PMC10514873.
- Reimer T, Stachs A, Veselinovic K, Kühn T, Heil J, Polata S, Marmé F, Müller T, Hildebrandt G, Krug D, Ataseven B, Reitsamer R, Ruth S, Denkert C, Bekes I, Zahm DM, Thill M, Golatta M, Holtschmidt J, Knauer M, Nekljudova V, Loibl S, Gerber B. Axillary Surgery in Breast Cancer - Primary Results of the INSEMA Trial. N Engl J Med. 2025 Mar 13;392(11):1051-1064. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2412063. Epub 2024 Dec 12. PMID: 39665649.
- Dey P, Kc M, Proussaloglou EM, Khubchandani JA, Kim L, Zanieski G, Park T, Lynch M, Gillego A, Valero M, Schneider E, Golshan M, Greenup RA, Berger ER. Incidence of Pathologic Nodal Disease in Clinically Node-Negative, Microinvasive or T1a Breast Cancers. Ann Surg Oncol. 2024 Dec;31(13):8821-8828. doi: 10.1245/s10434-024-16124-9. Epub 2024 Sep 6. PMID: 39240394.
- Giannakou A, Kantor O, Park KU, Waks AG, Punglia RS, Dominici LS, Nakhlis F, Mittendorf EA, King TA. Real-World Implications of the SOUND Trial. Ann Surg Oncol. 2024 Dec;31(13):8776-8785. doi: 10.1245/s10434-024-16354-x. Epub 2024 Oct 14. PMID: 39402322.
Disclosures:
coming soon
