Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery Series: Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Breast Cancer

This mini-series on Behind the Knife delves into the technical aspects of the Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, developed through the American College of Surgeons Cancer Research Program and Cancer Surgery Standards Program. This episode highlights sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer.

Hosts:
- Lexy (Alexandra) Adams, MD, MPH (@lexyadams16) is a Surgical Oncology fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
- Lauren Postlewait, MD, FACS, is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Emory University School of Medicine and is the Medical Director of the Breast Center at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, GA.
- Chantal Reyna, MD, FACS (@kprgrl3) is a Breast surgical oncologist at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, IL and serves as the oncology clinical lead for the breast service line.

Guest:
- Susan E. Pories, MD, FACS (@SusanPoriesMD) is a professor of surgery, vice chair for quality and safety, and director of the Rutger’s Breast Center at the University hospital. 

Learning Objectives: 
-       Understand the definition and identification of axillary sentinel lymph node. 
-       Understand the technique for injecting tracer or dye to perform sentinel lymph node biopsy. 
-       Understand the importance of preincision drainage evaluation and transcutaneous localization.
-       Understand techniques to minimize seroma formation.

Links to Papers Referenced in this Episode
Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, Volume 1: Breast, Lung, Pancreas, Colon
https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/cancer-programs/cancer-surgery-standards-program/operative-standards-for-cancer-surgery/purchase/

Kindle edition:
https://www.amazon.com/Operative-Standards-Cancer-Surgery-Section-ebook/dp/B07MWSNFSB

Sentinel-lymph-node resection compared with conventional axillary-lymph-node dissection in clinically node-negative patients with breast cancer: overall survival findings from the NSABP B-32 randomised phase 3 trial Lancet Oncol. 2010 Oct;11(10):927-33.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20863759/

Improved Axillary Evaluation Following Neoadjuvant Therapy for Patients With Node-Positive Breast Cancer Using Selective Evaluation of Clipped Nodes: Implementation of Targeted Axillary Dissection J Clin Oncol. 2016 Apr 1;34(10):1072-8.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26811528/

The false-negative rate of sentinel node biopsy in patients with breast cancer: a meta-analysis World J Surg. 2012 Sep;36(9):2239-51. 
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22569745/

Effect of lymphoscintigraphy drainage patterns on sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with breast cancer Am J Surg. 2005 Oct;190(4):557-62.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16164919/

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy vs No Axillary Surgery in Patients With Small Breast Cancer and Negative Results on Ultrasonography of Axillary Lymph Nodes: The SOUND Randomized Clinical Trial JAMA Oncol. 2023 Nov 1;9(11):1557-1564.
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