title: A historical perspective on the development of intraoperative lymphatic mapping and selective lymphadenectomy.
abstract: Intraoperative lymphatic mapping (ILM) and selective lymphadenectomy are revolutionary concepts that, in a short period, have shown the potential to alter dramatically the management of many patients with solid neoplasms. The rapid adaptation of this approach to the staging of solid neoplasms by the surgical oncology community has resulted in an explosion of data. Initially described as a surgical technique in which each surgeon had to climb a learning curve, ILM and selective lymph node dissection (SLND) are now recognized as a multidisciplinary surgical approach to the management of the patient with cutaneous melanoma and breast cancer. The potential values of ILM and SLND are being examined vigorously now in numerous other solid neoplasms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu 96813, USA. wongjh@jabsom.biomed.hawaii.edu
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008545:Melanoma / Q000266:history / Q000556:secondary; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000266:history*; D015641:Radiography, Interventional / Q000266:history; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging / Q000266:history; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000266:history*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000266:history / Q000473:pathology