These surgeons are in 35 states throughout the United States, in addition to Washington, D.C., and three Canadian provinces. Both studies, however, continue to actively seek additional surgeons to participate.
Sentinel nodes are a limited set of lymph nodes to which cancer is most likely to spread first.
In sentinel node biopsy, only one or a few lymph nodes are removed for laboratory analysis when a patient has a lumpectomy or mastectomy. If we really want to know whether sentinel node biopsy can safely replace more invasive surgery, participation by surgeons across the country is essential. Patients are seeking alternatives to conventional full axillary, or underarm, lymph node dissection because several complications can arise from removal of the axillary nodes. Some reports indicate that more than 80 percent of women who undergo a complete axillary dissection have at least one complication after surgery. I feel very confident about participating in the study.