Immunolymphoscintigraphy in breast cancer:: Evaluation using 131I-labeled monoclonal antibody B72.3

Noninvasive axillary lymph node staging was investigated using [I-131]murine monoclonal antibody B72.3 in 16 patients with breast cancer scheduled for axillary dissection. [I-131]B72.3 was injected into ipsilateral finger webs or around the breast biopsy. Scintigraphy to 72 h and gamma-counting/immunohistochemistry of nodes were performed. Specific antibody uptake (%ID/g) and the ratio of specific:nonspecific antibody uptake were not significantly different in tumor-positive versus tumor-negative nodes, suggesting that [I-131]B72.3 is unsuitable to discriminate axillary node tumor involvement. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.