Sentinel lymph node for breast cancer: Pathologic aspects, handling and evaluation of specimen.

ABSTRACT

Sentinel lymph node(SLN) biopsy is a safe and accurate staging procedure for breast cancer in patients without clinical evidence of axillary lymph node metastasis. The studies in various conditions including multifoci of breast cancer, intraductal carcinoma with microinvasion, post-neoadjuvant therapy, and predictors of positive sentinel and non-sentinel lymph nodes are reviewed. Particular attention is paid to the roles of cytology, frozen section, multiple level study in frozen section and standard paraffin section, and immunohistochemistry in evaluating the SLN. A guide-line for optimal handling, processing, and evaluation of the fresh specimen from intraoperative consultation and the standard fixed specimen is presented.