# Sentinel node biopsy

Source: https://nuclide.cc/terms/sentinel-lymph-node-biopsy/  
Nuclide record `sentinel-lymph-node-biopsy` (Term). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from Nuclide (nuclide.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Finding and removing the first one or two lymph nodes a tumour drains to, to see whether cancer has spread, instead of removing the whole nodal basin.

## Summary

A dye or radioactive tracer (technetium tilmanocept, indocyanine green, blue dye) injected at the tumour travels to the 'sentinel' node, which is removed and examined. If it is clear, the remaining nodes are almost certainly clear and a full dissection with its lymphoedema risk is avoided. Standard in breast cancer, melanoma (from ~0.8 mm Breslow), endometrial and vulval cancers and increasingly oral cavity cancer; even positive sentinel nodes often no longer trigger full axillary dissection (Z0011, SENOMAC).

## Fields

- Kind: Term
- Last checked: 2026-09-09
- Also known as: sentinel lymph node biopsy; sentinel lymph node; sentinel node; sentinel lymph node mapping; SLNB

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinel_lymph_node
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinel_lymph_node

## Connected records

- drugs: [Technetium-99m tilmanocept](https://nuclide.cc/drugs/tilmanocept-tc99m/)
- indications: [Sentinel lymph node mapping in breast cancer and melanoma](https://nuclide.cc/indications/sentinel-node-mapping/)

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