Sentinel Lymph Node Update

The introduction of intraoperative lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has revolutionized the care of patients with early-stage breast cancer. Current guidelines recommend SLNB as a surgical alternative to axillary lymph node dissection for patients with early breast cancer and clinically negative axillary nodes. Lymphatic mapping can be performed with blue dye and/or radiocolloid. More recently, SLNB has been examined for ductal carcinoma in situ, after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and for male breast cancer. The indications for completion axillary dissection in patients with the immunohistochemical micrometastasis in the sentinel lymph node remains controversial.