Credentialing issues with sentinel lymph node staging for breast cancer.
Sentinel lymphadenectomy (SL) is a minimally invasive approach for staging patients with breast cancer. SL, when performed in lieu of axillary dissection, is associated with less morbidity and is potentially more cost effective and more accurate than the historical axillary dissection in the detection of regional nodal metastases. The credentialing and privileging of SL, as with any surgical procedure, is by the policies of the local hospital or institution. The suggested credentialing criteria for local hospitals has been an area of controversy. Herein the authors outline the credentialing controversy and suggest criteria for the implementation of sentinel lymph node staging for breast cancer.
Tafra
L
L
Breast Center at Arundel Medical Center, Annapolis, MD, USA.
McMasters
K M
KM
Whitworth
P
P
Edwards
M J
MJ
D001940:Breast / Q000601:surgery; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D003245:Consensus Statements as Topic; D003406:Credentialing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D006278:Medicare; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012042:Registries; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000592:standards*; D012955:Societies, Medical; D014481:United States