How the node is found
Tracer is injected around the tumour or areola and taken up by the lymphatics. The sentinel nodes are located by radioactivity, blue dye or fluorescence and removed for histopathology, sometimes with intraoperative assessment.
What the result changes
Clear nodes mean no further axillary surgery. Limited involvement may be managed with radiotherapy rather than dissection under current guidance; more extensive involvement leads to axillary dissection.
Beyond breast cancer
The same principle is used in endometrial and cervical cancer staging, melanoma and selected vulvar cancers, reducing the extent of lymphadenectomy without compromising staging.
Common questions
- How accurate is it?
- Identification rates above 95% and low false-negative rates are reported with dual tracer technique in appropriately selected patients.
Related reading
This page is general education, reviewed by Dr. Ishaan Allahabadi, MCh Surgical Oncology (Edge Hill, UK) · MS Surgery · MBBS (Accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons of England). It is not a substitute for individual medical advice. Treatment decisions are made after reviewing your imaging and pathology, in a multidisciplinary tumour board.