[Sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer].

Abstract

Surgical treatment of breast cancer has changed dramatically during the last few decades with the aim of reducing surgical radicality in the breast and also in the axilla. In this context sentinel node biopsy is a reliable technique to determine axillary node status of breast cancer patients and reduce morbidity associated with standard axillary lymph node dissection. Although SNB is performed with increasing frequency, an incorrect indication and lack of experience with the surgical procedure can minimize the sensitivity and specificity of this method. In consequence, this could lead to wrong tumor staging and inappropriate adjuvant therapy. Therefore, we describe the basic requirements, indications, and pitfalls of this technique. Since many issues are controversial such as the prognostic value of micrometastases and extramammary nodes as well as the use of SNB after primary chemotherapy and in ductal carcinoma in situ, further clinical studies are necessary.

• Authors: A Rody, C Solbach, M Kaufmann
• Journal: Der Chirurg; Zeitschrift fur alle Gebiete der operativen Medizen (Chirurg) Vol. 75 Issue 8 Pg. 767-73 (Aug 2004) ISSN: 0009-4722 [Print] Germany
• Vernacular Title: Sentinel Lymph Node beim Mammakarzinom.
• PMID: 15221088 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Topics

• Axilla
• Breast Neoplasms (drug therapy, pathology, surgery)
• Carcinoma in Situ (drug therapy, pathology, surgery)
• Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast (drug therapy, pathology, surgery)
• Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
• Contraindications
• Female
• Humans
• Lymph Node Excision
• Lymph Nodes (pathology)
• Lymphatic Metastasis (diagnosis, pathology)
• Mastectomy, Segmental
• Neoadjuvant Therapy
• Palpation
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (methods)