title: The role of selective sentinel lymph node dissection in breast cancer.
abstract: Axillary nodal status continues to be the most statistically significant predictor of survival for patients with breast cancer. Although still providing regional control of axillary disease, axillary dissection is more important as a staging and prognostic tool. Trials are currently underway to investigate the possibility of replacing the current standard treatment of breast cancer, axillary lymph node dissection, with the less invasive lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy. This issue and the technical aspects of sentinel lymph node mapping for breast cancer are discussed in detail in this article.
authors.affiliation: H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa 33612, USA.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Salud
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Harrinton
mesh_terms: D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D017556:Technetium Compounds
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D017556:Technetium Compounds; C025484:iso-sulfan blue