The role of sentinel lymph node biopsy in planning adjuvant therapy for elderly women with low‐risk breast cancer

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) guides adjuvant therapy in breast cancer. There is controversy regarding its use in elderly women with low-risk breast cancer. This study aimed to determine whether a positive SLNB in this group affected the decision to offer adjuvant therapy compared with younger patients. This retrospective review included 492 patients, 89 of whom had a positive SLNB. Elderly, node-positive women were significantly less likely to receive chemotherapy than their younger counterparts (P < .0001), suggesting the use of SLNB in the elderly could be rationalized.