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Sentinel node mapping

^1. Centre for Women's Health, Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Barrack Road, Exeter EX2 5DW, UK Email: nigel.acheson{at}nhs.net (corresponding author)

Key content:

• Cancers involving the regional lymphatic system around the primary site have a poor prognosis.
  
• The sentinel node is understood to be the first node to which lymphatic drainage occurs from an organ or area of skin.
  
• The sentinel node can be identified using a blue dye or radiolabel.
  
• If the sentinel node does not contain metastatic tumour, the risk of involved regional nodes is small.
  
• The technique has the potential to reduce the morbidity associated with regional lymphadenectomy.
  

Learning objectives:

• To understand the sentinel node concept.
  
• To understand the role of sentinel node biopsy in vulval, cervical and endometrial cancer.
  

Ethical issues:

• Randomised controlled trials should be performed before the technique can be introduced into routine practice.
  

Please cite this article as: Acheson N. Sentinel node mapping. The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist 2007;9:270–275.

Keywords cervical cancer / endometrial cancer / sentinel node biopsy / vulval cancer