title: Current status of sentinel lymph-node biopsy in patients with breast cancer.
abstract: Axillary node status is the most important prognostic indicator for patients with invasive breast cancer. Sentinel lymph-node biopsy (SLNB) is widely accepted and the preferred procedure for identifying lymph-node metastasis. SLNB allows focused excision and pathological examination of the most likely axillary lymph nodes to receive tumor metastases while avoiding morbidities associated with complete axillary nodal dissection. Since its introduction in the early 1990s, the process of SLNB has undergone continual modification and refinement; however, the procedure varies between institutions and controversies remain. In this review, we examine the technical issues that influence the success of lymph node mapping, discuss the controversies, and summarize the indications and contraindications for axillary node mapping and biopsy in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurita
authors.forename: Drew A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Torigian
authors.forename: Abass
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alavi
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D006801:Humans; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*