The Journal of Practical Medicine ›› 2026, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (1): 45-55.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-5725.2026.01.006

• Oncology: Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Predictive performance of an interpretable BPNN model for axillary lymph node burden in breast cancer patients with 1 ~ 2 sentinel lymph node positive

Sheng NONG1,Zhanxiong LI2,Qi ZHANG3,Zhendong LU4,Minping HONG5,Wubiao CHEN4,Zilin LIU4()   

  1. 1.Department of Radiology,the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University,Zhanjiang 524000,Guangdong,China
    2.Department of Radiology,Affiliated Yangjiang Hospital of Guangdong Medical University,Yangjiang 529500,Guangdong,China
    3.Department of Radiology,the Seventh Affiliated Hospital,Southern Medical University,Shenzhen 518107,Guangdong,China
    4.Department of Radiology,Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University,Zhanjiang 524000,Guangdong,China
    5.Department of Radiology,Jiaxing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Jiaxing 314001,Zhejiang,China
  • Received:2025-09-10 Online:2026-01-10 Published:2026-01-14
  • Contact: Zilin LIU E-mail:2262830331@qq.com

Abstract:

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of a backpropagation neural network (BPNN) model incorporating clinical and imaging features in predicting axillary lymph node burden among breast cancer patients with one to two positive sentinel lymph nodes. Methods We retrospectively analyzed clinical and imaging data from 386 female breast cancer patients who underwent axillary lymph node dissection at three medical centers between January 2021 and December 2024. Based on pathological findings, patients were categorized into a high axillary lymph node burden group (n = 155) and a low burden group (n = 231). Data from Center 1 and Center 2 (Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University and Affiliated Yangjiang Hospital of Guangdong Medical University; n = 295) were randomly divided into a training set (n = 207) and an internal validation set (n = 88), while data from Center 3 (Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University; n=91) served as the external validation cohort. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted in the training cohort to identify independent risk factors. Four machine learning algorithms, including logistic regression, support vector machine (SVM), random forest and BPNN were then used to construct predictive models, which were subsequently evaluated in the internal and external validation cohorts. The Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) method was applied to assess and visualize feature importance. Results Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses identified the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), peritumoral edema, and axillary lymph node cortical thickening as independent predictors of nodal burden. The BPNN-based model demonstrated superior predictive performance, achieving an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.793. SHAP analysis revealed that peritumoral edema contributed most significantly to model predictions, followed by lymph node cortical thickening and NLR. Conclusions An interpretable BPNN model integrating clinical and imaging characteristics provides reliable prediction of axillary lymph node burden in breast cancer patients. This approach offers valuable support for axillary management and personalized treatment planning.

Key words: breast cancer, axillary lymph node burden, 1 ~ 2 sentinel lymph node positivity, back propagation neural network, interpretability

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