Abstract

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) surgery has largely replaced axillary dissection for nodal staging in clinically node negative breast cancer patients. However, in patients with previous breast and/or axillary surgery, pregnant patients, male patients, multifocal/multicentric breast tumors, DCIS, and patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the use of SLN surgery is more controversial. Lymphoscintigraphy is important in patients with prior surgery to evaluate for drainage to extra-axillary sites.