The status of axillary nodes is the most important predictor of cancer recurrence following the treatment of invasive breast cancer and is used to guide treatment decisions regarding radiation and chemotherapy.

Lymphatic mapping, also called sentinel lymph node evaluation, avoids complete axillary lymph node dissection in 80% - 90% of patients with early stage breast cancer. This avoids the complication of chronic arm swelling, called lymphedema, which can occur in 3% - 5% of patients undergoing complete axillary dissection.

The physicians with Northwest Surgical Specialists have been studying this imaging technique since 1996. We studied the reliability of sentinel node mapping in comparison to standard axillary dissection in 70 patients. Dye and radioisotope tracers are used to identify the node most likely to contain tumor if spread has occurred. This is called the sentinel node. If no tumor is present in the sentinel node, the rest of the axillary nodes are not disturbed. This avoids the potential for arm swelling and other complications of complete axillary dissection. If the sentinel node contains tumor spread, axillary dissection is performed as part of the treatment. We are able to identify the sentinel node in greater than 90% of patients with a 98% concurrence with standard axillary dissection. We now offer this technique to our present cancer patients, with proven track record of safety and reliability.

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Related Topics:

Axillary Lymph Node Mapping
Breast Biopsy
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