Implementation of sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer by surgeons in the Department of Defense.
BACKGROUND
Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for the evaluation of women with invasive breast cancer is rapidly gaining acceptance. The purpose of this study was to assess how surgeons in the Department of Defense (DOD) are incorporating SLNB into practice.


METHODS
Surgeons at all DOD hospitals were telephonically surveyed regarding their current practices with SLNB.


RESULTS
Of 66 DOD hospitals 23 (35%) are currently performing SLNB. Eleven hospitals (11 of 23, 48%) are academic centers, while 12 (12 of 23, 52%) are not teaching facilities. Seventeen (17 of 23, 77%) are in the learning phase of SLNB and follow SLNB with an axillary dissection. Eighteen (18 of 23, 78%) of facilities have surgeons who learned the procedure in residency/fellowship training. Sixteen (16 of 23, 70%) use a combination of isosulfan blue dye and sulfur colloid radioisotope. Surgeons performing SLNB are not aware of the method of examination of the sentinel node at their institution at 6 of 23 (26%) of hospitals.


CONCLUSIONS
Increasing numbers of surgeons in the DOD Healthcare System are performing SLNB. The majority learned the procedure in residency or fellowship and are using a combination of blue dye and radioisotope for the performance of SLNB.
Davis
Kurt G
KG
Department of General Surgery, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, TX 79920-5001, USA.
Schriver
John P
JP
Waddell
Brad
B
D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006772:Hospitals, Military; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008889:Military Personnel; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012042:Registries; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States