History of sentinel node and validation of the technique

Sentinel node biopsy is a minimally invasive technique to select patients w ith occult lymph node metastases who may benefit from further regional or s ystemic therapy. The sentinel node is the first lymph node reached by metas tasising cells from a primary tumour. Attempts to remove this node with a p rocedure based on standard anatomical patterns did not become popular. The development of the dynamic technique of intraoperative lymphatic mapping in the 1990s resulted in general acceptance of the sentinel node concept. Thi s hypothesis of sequential tumour dissemination seems to be valid according to numerous studies of sentinel node biopsy with confirmatory regional lym ph node dissection. This report describes the history and the validation of the technique, with particular reference to breast cancer.