In breast cancer surgery, the armpit lymph nodes are evaluated either by injecting blue dye into the breast tissue or around the nipple during the surgery, and/or by first creating a lymph map in the nuclear medicine department on the day of surgery and using a gamma counter during the surgery. In the blue dye method, the spread of the dye given during the surgery in the armpit is checked. The lymph node it stains becomes the sentinel nodule (Sentinel LymphNode), where cancer cells first spread. This lymph node is removed and sent to pathology. This method is called SLNB (Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy). If the result is negative, other lymph nodes are not touched. If it is positive, that is, if there is lymph node spread, most of the armpit lymph nodes are removed. Lymphoscintigraphy can also be used in SLNB to increase sensitivity and prevent false negative results. In lymphoscintigraphy, first the lymph flow map of the patient's breast is created, the sentinel lymph node is found and its projection is marked on the patient. Then, the nuclear medicine specialist also participates in the surgery. Using a gamma counter, a sentinel nodule is found through a small incision and sent to pathology; Depending on the results, it is decided whether other lymph nodes will be removed or not. Lymphoscintigraphy largely prevents possible erroneous evaluations.
What is the Follow-Up and Process After Breast Cancer Surgery?
The patient who has undergone breast cancer surgery is referred to the oncology department after the surgical process has passed. The patient is evaluated with the final pathology results and a personalized treatment protocol is created and this protocol is quickly put into practice.
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