What does the sentinel-lymph-node biopsy show?
Biopsy of the sentinel lymph node reveals whether there are or are not lymphatic metastases, which are tumor cells that have journeyed from the original primary tumor into the lymphatic drainage system. If the sentinel node contains tumor cells, removal of more nodes in the area may be warranted. If the sentinel node is normal, it is unnecessary to perform an extensive dissection of the regional lymph-node basin. Is the use of the sentinel-lymph-node biopsy common? Yes. Sentinel-lymph-node biopsy has, for example, become a standard technique for determining the nodal stage of the disease in some patients with malignant melanoma.
