Introduction/Background Lymph node staging is an important prognostic factor in breast cancer. Lymph node fine-needle cytopuncture is a simple, non-invasive procedure that avoids unnecessary systematic adenectomy and has proven its effectiveness in malignant tumor pathology.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the ultrasound-guided cytopuncture in suspicious lymph nodes in breast cancer stadification and follow-up.

Methodology Our retrospective study involved the analysis of 39 lymph node fine-needle cytopuncture, without aspiration, performed on patients with breast cancer in a period of two years and two months, ranging from August 2021 to October 2023.

Results In our study, 7 patients were newly diagnosed with cancer (18% ) and 32 with suspicion of lymph node recurrence (82%).

The cytopuncture was performed on 6 suspicious supra-clavicular nodes (15.4%°), 18 suspicious axillary nodes homolateral to the breast tumor (46.1%) and 15 suspicious axillary nodes contralateral to the breast tumor (38.5%).

Cytology was not conclusive in only one patient (2.6%). Conclusive cytology were benign in 22 cases (58%), malignant in 15 cases (39.5%) and suspicious in one case (2.5%). Ulterior adenectomy was performed on only two lymph nodes with negative cytology and negative histology as well.

Conclusion Fine-needle cytopuncture is a safe and fast diagnostic approach for the evaluation of suspicious lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer.

Disclosures We have no potential conflict of interest to report.