RT Journal
A1 Jatoi I
T1 AXillary vs sentinel lymph node dissection for invasive breast cancer
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 2011
FD June 8
VO 305
IS 22
SP 2288
OP 2291
DO 10.1001/jama.2011.750
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2011.750
AB 
To the Editor: Dr Giuliano and colleagues stated that “Axillary recurrence is usually an early event, occurring at a median of 14.8 months in [the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project] B04 [trial]; in that trial, only 7 of 68 axillary recurrences occurred more than 5 years after study entry.”1- 2 The authors then argued that, after a median follow-up of 6.3 years, further follow-up of patients in the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group Z0011 trial would not substantially alter the results of their study. Yet the authors ignored the fact that the risk of breast cancer recurrence is not only time-dependent but also dependent on tumor estrogen receptor (ER) status.