Feasibility of an indocyanine green-hyaluronic acid mixture (LuminoMark™) for targeting suspicious axillary lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer

Purpose: During breast cancer surgery, the use of dyes such as indigo carmine, methylene blue, or indocyanine green (ICG) for targeting axillary lymph nodes (ALNs) under ultrasound guidance can result in rapid diffusion, complicated tissue differentiation, and disruption of staining. LuminoMark™, a novel ICG-hyaluronic acid mixture, can provide real-time visualization and minimize dye spread, thereby ensuring a clear surgical field. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of LuminoMark™ for targeting ALNs in patients with breast cancer.

Methods: A total of 13 patients with breast cancer (mean age 56.5 years; 92.3% female) and suspicious ALNs underwent targeted axillary surgery (TAS) with activated charcoal and LuminoMark™ injected into the LNs in the surgical field. The clinicopathological variables of the patients and diagnostic performance were assessed. The LNs injected with LuminoMark™ were examined for consistency with sentinel LNs (SLNs) and non-SLNs, as well as with charcoal-tattooed LNs.

Results: The identification of SLNs took approximately 15.6 min from the start of skin incision, and it required 25.6 and 17.7 min, for charcoal-tattooed and LuminoMark^TM-illuminated LNs, respectively. The identification rate was 92.3% with charcoal and 100% with LuminoMark™. The concordance rate between LuminoMark™ illumination and SLNs was higher than that between charcoal tattooing and SLNs. The concordance rate between the two methods was 76.9% (n = 10). Three months after surgery, the charcoal tattoo remained visible on the skin; however, LuminoMark™ was not visible.

Conclusion: Although both methods demonstrated high detection rates, the rate was higher using LuminoMark™. As LuminoMark™ was administered directly into LNs, this improved the accuracy of identifying LNs.