'It has been shown to be a safe and accurate alternative to full axillary surgery in patients with breast cancer, and constitutes an important advance in breast cancer surgery.' Baldwin Breast Care Center, says, 'Sentinel node biopsy is now standard treatment. O'Hea, MD, associate professor of surgery and chief of breast surgery, and medical director of Stony Brook's Carol M. An incision is then made in that location, and the sentinel node, identified by both the gamma probe and the blue dye, is removed.Īn early proponent of sentinel node biopsy, Brian J. Next, the surgeon uses a geiger counter-like device (probe) to locate and count the small amount of radioactivity injected earlier, which is now trapped in the first draining axillary lymph node (sentinel node). Both the blue dye and the radioactive dye travel towards the patient's underarm via lymph vessels, helping the surgeon to find that first draining lymph node. In the operating room, a small amount of blue dye is injected around the tumor as well. The amount of radioactivity is very small, less than that used for a chest x-ray or a bone scan, and generally does not cause any problems. This test helps to determine the location of the lymph nodes that are draining the breast cancer. In sentinel node biopsy, a small amount of radioactive dye is injected into the breast around the site of the cancer.
