Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
Invasive breast cancers usually require a lymph node biopsy to decide what additional treatment is necessary. The sentinel lymph node is under your arm in your axilla or armpit. This node is removed and examined under the microscope to see whether cancer cells are present.
Your surgeon may ask that a preoperative x-ray be performed to localize the sentinel lymph node, which will be the first lymph node that filters fluid draining away from the area of the breast containing cancer. Your doctor will inject dye in your breast before starting surgery. An incision is made under your arm and the sentinel lymph nodes is found. The node is sent to the lab where the pathologist looks at it under the microscope. If there are no cancer cells in it, your incision is closed and a dressing is placed. If cancer cells are found in the node or if the sentinel node cannot be located, more lymph nodes may have to be removed. In that case, an axillary lymph node dissection is performed.
Page last updated on May. 21, 2009