Sentinel node biopsy is a procedure in which the first (sentinel) lymph node(s) that the cancer may have spread to are identified, removed and examined to determine whether cancer cells are present.

A negative Sentinel node biopsy result suggests that cancer has not developed the ability to spread to nearby lymph nodes or other organs. A positive Sentinel node biopsy result indicates that cancer is present in the sentinel lymph node and may be present in other nearby lymph nodes (called regional lymph nodes) and, possibly, other organs. This information will help your medical team determine the stage of the cancer (extent of the disease within the body) and develop an appropriate treatment plan. In the case of a positive result aaxilliary node clearance may need to be conducted, along with other treatments.