Stage and spread
Sentinel lymph node biopsy
Also written as SLNB, Sentinel node biopsy, Sentinel node
What it means
In this procedure the surgeon removes the sentinel node or nodes, which are the first lymph nodes the cancer is likely to spread to. They are checked for cancer cells.
Why it matters
The result tells your team whether cancer has reached the first nodes, which is part of staging.
Ask your oncologist
"What did my sentinel node result show, and what follows from it?"
From NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms: sentinel lymph node biopsy. Not medical advice: your oncologist decides.