| Abstract: |
Over the past decade, sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy has become well established as a new standard for axillary node staging in breast cancer. We first performed SLN biopsy in 1996, using a mapping technique which combined isotope and blue dye. Our own data combined with that of many others supports an emerging consensus that a combined technique maximizes both the success and accuracy of SLN biopsy. Our own data also show that isotope identifies the SLN more often than blue dye, and that with increasing experience the marginal benefit of blue dye (the proportion of procedures in which the SLN is identified by dye alone) is quite small, ∼2-3%. We have previously reported our technique of SLN biopsy in detail. Here we update those reports, focusing in particular on our mature technique for isotope mapping and is based on an experience of more than 10,000 procedures. © 2011 Springer Science + Business Media. |
