Comparison of Use of Indocyanine Green and 99mTc-labeled Radiotracer for Axillary Lymphatic Mapping in Patients With Breast Cancer

This clinical trial will enroll up to 130 adult women with a confirmed diagnosis of clinical stage 1 or 2 breast cancer who are undergoing breast cancer surgery with lumpectomy or mastectomy and planned axillary sentinel node biopsy procedure. Participants will undergo lymphatic mapping with technetium Tc-99m (99mTc) sulfur colloid in accordance with routine clinical practice. Injections of 99mTc sulfur colloid will take place the afternoon prior to planned next morning surgery or on the morning of surgery. Participants will undergo lymphoscintigraphy in accordance with standard clinical practice.

Immediately prior to operation, after the induction of anesthesia in the operating room, up to 1cc of 0.5% indocyanine green (ICG) solution will be injected subdermally close to the tumor or into the subareolar region after disinfection of the breast skin. ICG movement will be facilitated by manual massage and monitored with fluorescence imaging. ICG fluorescence will be elicited and detected by Photodynamic Eye (PDE) camera. The lymphatic drainage, made evident by the fluorescent dye, will be monitored in real time on a monitor. The fluorescence will be followed towards the armpit region (axilla) and time for the fluorescence to reach the axilla will be recorded. Following standard practice, an incision will be made in the armpit region. Fluorescent lymph nodes (ICG positive) will be localized and removed and analyzed by a pathologist. Node removal will continue until no residual fluorescence is visible in the axilla. Removed nodes will be tested for radioactivity using a standard gamma-detecting probe and the counts per minute will be recorded. Finally, the armpit region will be inspected with the gamma probe to determine if there are any residual radioactive nodes. Residual sentinel nodes (the first node to receive lymph from a tumor) will be removed. For the purposes of this study, the sentinel status of a node will be defined as being flagged as sentinel by either one or both of the ICG or 99mTc methods. The goal of the project is to confirm that axillary lymphatic mapping with ICG leads to similar nodes being labeled as sentinel as lymphatic mapping with 99mTc-labeled radiotracer.