Sentinel Lymphadenectomy: A Safe Answer to Less Axillary Surgery?

Abstract
The surgical evolution of breast cancer treatment over the past century from Halsted through Haagensen and Urban has demonstrated the utility of radical and ultra-radical surgery. Patey, Meyer, and subsequently Fisher’s studies have initiated the movement toward surgical breast conservation. The continued progress toward lesser surgery has brought the value of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) under close scrutiny (Frazier et al. 1977; Silverstein et al. 1987; Balch et al. 1993).