Pathological examination of sentinel lymph node in breast cancer: potential problems and possible solutions.
Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy has emerged during the last few years as a viable option for staging the axilla in the treatment of breast carcinoma. This procedure can potentially identify patients who would be helped by full axillary lymph node dissection (the SLN-positive cases), and those who would not (the SLN-negative cases). Review of the literature confirms the promise of SLN; however, the possible problems in the pathological handling of SLN, including the microscopic misinterpretation of benign structures and "spurious" immunohistochemical staining, need wider recognition.
Hoda
Syed A
SA
Department of Pathology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, New York 10021, USA. sahoda@mail.med.cornell.edu
Chiu
April
A
Resetkova
Erika
E
Harigopal
Malini
M
Hoda
Rana S
RS
Osborne
Michael P
MP
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*