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Abstract
The value of sentinel node biopsy rests on the concept that a single lymph node, or ”sentinel” node is the first of a group of lymph nodes that receives drainage of a specific body segment. In theory, by surveying this single node, tumor movement from the primary site can be predicted for the remainder of the lymph node basin. Should the sentinel node be free of tumor, the remaining lymph nodes of the basin are presumed to be negative, and the patient may be spared axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). If the sentinel node is involved, further lymph nodes in the area may be involved as well.
Among the 30 patients with sentinel nodes, the accuracy of the sentinel nodes (the number of cases in which the pathological status of the sentinel nodes corresponded to the pathological status of the axillary nodes, divided by the number of cases) was 92 percent. Whereas the positive predictive value was 100 percent by definition, the negative predictive value was also good, at 84 percent. :