Immune Profiling the Axilla with Fine Needle Aspiration Is Feasible to Risk-Stratify Breast Cancer

Cancers 2026 Open access

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Authors: Jasmine Gore, Amy Llewellyn, Chuen Y. R. Lam, Jacqueline D. Shields, Kalnisha Naidoo
DOI: 10.3390/cancers18020251
Cited by: 0
References: 34

Abstract

ABSTRACT Whether breast cancer (BC) has metastasised to the regional axillary lymph nodes (ALN) is an important prognostic factor that directs the extent of axillary surgery. However, surgically clearing the axilla carries morbidity, so less invasive methods of risk-stratifying patients are needed. ALN fine needle aspiration (FNA) is currently used to detect BC metastases, but these samples also contain immune cells. Here we show that FNA acquires sufficient leukocytes for comprehensive immunophenotyping of reactive, patient-derived ALN. All CD4 + and CD8 + T cells subsets (naïve, terminal effector, central and effector memory) and rarer (

Fields of Study & Subjects

Breast Cancer Treatment Studies Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers Breast Lesions and Carcinomas

Publication details

Journal / source
Cancers
Volume
18
Issue
2
Pages
251–251
Publication date
14 January 2026
Language
EN