<Home // About Us // Privacy Statement // Advertising Policy // Contact Us

Case 100: Sentinel nodes

A 45 year old woman presents with a 4 cm mammographic abnormality in her left breast. There are no nodes palpable in the axilla. A core biopsy of the breast lesion confirms ductal carcinoma in situ. She has opted for mastectomy but would like a sentinel lymph node biopsy in preference to axillary dissection. Her lymphoscintigram is shown below.

Breast lymphoscintigraphy

1. Which patients are suitable for sentinel lymph node biopsy?

2. You have performed sentinel node biopsy 3 or 4 times during your training. Now as a junior consultant what would you advise this woman?

3. If her biopsy had shown invasive cancer how would your advice differ?