Sentinel lymph node biopsy is one of the most important staging tools in surgical oncology, sparing many patients a larger node operation.
The sentinel lymph node is the first node (or nodes) that drain from a tumor, so it is the most likely place cancer would spread first. By injecting a tracer, the surgeon identifies and removes just those nodes for the pathologist to examine. A negative result often means no further node surgery is needed, sparing patients the complications of a full lymph node dissection, such as lymphedema. It is most commonly performed during breast cancer and melanoma surgery and is usually done at the same time as removing the primary tumor.
Identifies and removes the first draining node(s) during breast cancer surgery.
Checks nodal spread for intermediate/high-risk melanoma.
Removes additional nodes if the sentinel node is positive (less common now).
A Florida medical license lets a physician practice, but board certification is the signal that a doctor completed accredited residency training and passed rigorous exams in their specialty. Look for certification by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) member board that matches the care you need — and verify it yourself.
Procedure facts on this page draw on authoritative medical sources. Confirm specifics in a consultation.
Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) ↗American Cancer Society ↗Choose a board-certified surgeon — and verify it yourself:
ABMS — Certification Matters ↗ Look up any U.S. physician’s board certification across all 24 ABMS member specialty boards. Florida DOH — License Verification ↗ Confirm an active Florida license and review any disciplinary history. NPI Registry (CMS) ↗ Verify a provider’s national identifier and registered specialty taxonomy. Medicare Care Compare ↗ Compare clinicians, hospitals and facilities on quality measures.