Does a surgical oncology perform sentinel lymph node biopsy?

The procedure is commonly carried out during surgery for certain cancers, or as a separate operation. It removes selected lymph nodes for laboratory examination and can provide staging information without routinely removing a larger group of nodes.

A tracer, a coloured dye, or both may be placed near the tumour or the area where it was removed. These materials follow lymphatic drainage toward the sentinel node or nodes. The surgeon uses their location or signal to identify the nodes, removes them through a small incision, and sends them to pathology.

The result helps the cancer team understand whether cells have reached the sampled lymph nodes and may influence further surgery or other treatment. A sentinel biopsy samples only selected nodes, whereas a lymph node dissection removes a wider group. The appropriate method depends on the cancer type and clinical plan.

Tell the team about allergies, pregnancy, previous lymph node surgery, swelling of the limb, and all medicines or supplements. Ask where and when the tracer will be given and whether it changes any preparation instructions. Follow the hospital's directions for eating, drinking, washing, and medicine adjustments before anaesthesia.

Keep the incision clean as directed and use the arm or leg exercises provided for the sampled area. Mild soreness, bruising, or temporary skin staining can occur. Note any increasing swelling, numbness, restricted movement, or fluid collection and report it at follow-up so recovery support can be adjusted.

Promptly report fever, spreading redness, warmth, pus, worsening pain, a rapidly enlarging swelling, or fluid leaking from the incision. New persistent swelling or heaviness in the nearby arm or leg also deserves assessment. Seek emergency care for severe breathing difficulty, facial or throat swelling, fainting, uncontrolled bleeding, or sudden chest pain, as these symptoms can indicate a serious allergic reaction, bleeding, or another urgent complication.

Ask why sentinel node sampling is appropriate for your cancer, how the nodes will be mapped, and whether the biopsy occurs during another operation. Clarify when pathology results are expected, what a positive or negative result could change in the treatment plan, whether further node surgery might be considered, and how to reduce strain while the incision heals.