A review and current update on sentinel lymph node biopsy of breast cancer

Abstract

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has become the standard staging technique in the surgical treatment of breast cancer, replacing the older method of dissecting lymph nodes of the axilla. Several advantages like lowering of the morbidities that accompany the technique and being less invasive have given rise to a promising effect on life aspects of patients suffering from this morbidity. The procedure has evolved over the last few decades, but further studies are still needed to make improvements. Several aspects of the evolution of SLNB, such as the incorporation of the management in early cancer, the technique of lymphatic mapping, the accuracy of the technique, and its utility and evaluation in clinical response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy are discussed in this review.