RESUMO
A sentinel node biopsy is a procedure in which the sentinel lymph node is identified, removed and examined to determine whether cancer cells are present. It´s used most commonly in evaluating breast cancer and melanoma. The sentinel nodes are the first few lymph nodes into which a tumor drains. The sentinel nodes are removed and analyzed in a laboratory. Melanoma is a tumor of melanocyte origin. There is a considerable evidence that early recognition and surgical removal of melanoma makes this a highly curable cancer. Because early detection of melanoma results in a high frequency of cure it is important to recognize the lesion in the earliest stages. Malignant melanoma is a type of cancer that develops from the pigment-containing cells known as melanocytes, and is the most aggressive and life-threatening skin cancer. Sentinel node biopsy is a surgical procedure to determine whether cancer has spread beyond a primary tumor into the lymphatic system. Removal and examination of the sentinel lymph node to which cancer cells are likely to spread from the primary tumor, are supposed to be an useful tool to prevent early this spread. In this paper the authors present their experience with the management of this procedure.