title: Sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer.
abstract: The sentinel lymph node (SLN) procedure consists of identifying the first lymph node to receive lymphatic vessels draining a tumour. Sentinel node biopsy is a minimally invasive technique, resulting in lower morbidity than traditional axillary lymph node dissection. Screen detected breast cancers are associated with approximately a 20% incidence of axillary node involvement. Sentinel node biopsy represents a minimally invasive method of accurately staging these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St Vincents University Hospital, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Dowling
authors.forename: A D K
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Hill
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*