What is involved in a sentinel node biopsy?
When a cancer lesion is in the breast, the lymphatic vessels will drain from that region containing the cancer to an initial node called the sentinel node. It is the first lymph node that would be positive if the cancer is spreading. With a sentinel lymph node biopsy, a radioactive tracer or a blue dye is injected into the region of the tumor. The dye or radioactivity is carried by the lymphatic vessels to a sentinel node. If the cancer has metastasized (spread), this is the lymph node most likely to contain a metastasis. At the time of the initial surgery when the lump is dissected, the surgeon will remove the sentinel node to be examined under the microscope at the laboratory. If the sentinel node has cancer cells, the surgeon will remove more lymph nodes for examination. If the sentinel node is negative or free of cancer, the extended lymph node surgery can be avoided. The advantage of this new procedure is that it will reduce the number of women having axillary dissection, which is
