The role of selective sentinel lymph node dissection in breast cancer

Axillary nodal status continues to be the most statistically significant pr edictor of survival for patients with breast cancer. Although still providi ng regional control of axillary disease, axillary dissection is more import ant as a staging and prognostic tool. Trials are currently underway to inve stigate the possibility of replacing the current standard treatment of brea st cancer, axillary lymph node dissection, with the less invasive lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy. This issue and the technical aspec ts of sentinel lymph node mapping for breast cancer are discussed in detail in this article.