Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid and Blue Dye In Detecting Sentinel Lymph Nodes in Patients With Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVES: * Determine the optimal mode of injection (peritumoral vs periareolar) of patent blue V dye and technetium Tc 99m sulfur colloid in patients with stage I or II breast cancer undergoing sentinel lymph node identification. * Determine the reduction of morbidity associated with breast cancer surgery, in terms of local control and survival, in patients undergoing sentinel lymph node identification with these drugs. * Determine the evolution of disease in patients who have undergone this procedure and do not show histological invasion of the sentinel lymph node. OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to participating center. Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. * Arm I: Patients receive peritumoral injections of patent blue V dye and technetium Tc 99m sulfur colloid. * Arm II: Patients receive periareolar injections as in arm I. Patients in both arms showing histological metastasis of the sentinel lymph node or without identification of the sentinel lymph node undergo standard axillary lymph node dissection. Patients are followed for disease evolution. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 450 patients (225 per arm) will be accrued for this study within 2-2.5 years.