Application effect of methylene blue and carbon nanoparticles in axillary reverse mapping in patients with breast cancer
ZHANG Yi
AN Zhongjun
WANG Bo
SONG Li
Abstract：Objective To compare the application effect of methylene blue and carbon nanoparticles in axillary reverse mapping(ARM)in patients with breast cancer.Methods Eighty female patients with breast cancer who received ARM and axillary lymph node dissection from February 2021 to July 2024 were selected,and divided into methylene blue group(n=40)and carbon nanoparticles group(n=40)by random envelope method.Methylene blue was used as a tracer in methylene blue group and carbon nanoparticles were taken as a tracer in carbon nanoparticles group.The axillary lymph node staining status,lymph node detection status,lymph node metastasis diagnosis results(axillary lymph node metastasis rate and sensitivity,false negative rate and accuracy rate of ARM examination),surgical indications and occurrence of complications were compared between groups.Results The success rate of staining in carbon nanoparticles group[97.50%(39/40)]was higher than 80.00%(32/40)in methylene blue group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the mean number of stained lymph nodes between the two groups(P>0.05).The number of small lymph nodes detected in carbon nanoparticles group was more than that in methylene blue group(P<0.05),but there was no significant difference in the number of detected lymph nodes between the two groups(P>0.05).The time required for intraoperative identification of axillary lymph node and staining time in carbon nanoparticles group were shorter than those in methylene blue group while the fading time was longer than that in methylene blue group(P<0.05).There were no significant differences in axillary lymph node metastasis rate,and sensitivity,false negative rate and accuracy rate of ARM examination between groups(P>0.05).The total incidence rate of complications revealed no significant difference between groups(P>0.05).Conclusion As ARM tracers,methylene blue and carbon nanoparticles have similar application value in the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis in patients with breast cancer.Compared with methylene blue,carbon nanoparticles have a higher success rate of lymph node staining and a higher detection rate of small lymph nodes,shorter time required for intraoperative identification of axillary lymph node and staining time,and longer fading time is longer,but relatively higher cost.In clinical practice,appropriate tracers can be selected according to the wishes and disease conditions of patients.
Keywords：breast cancermethylene bluecarbon nanoparticlesaxillary lymph nodereverse mappinglymph nodal metastasisdiagnosiscomplications
Publication Date：2026-03-13
Online Publishing Date：2026-03-20(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：6( 61-66 )