Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery Series: Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Breast Cancer

Behind The Knife: The Surgery Podcast

Education, Science, Health & Fitness, Medicine

4.8 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 27 April 2026

⏱️ 27 minutes

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Summary

This mini-series on Behind the Knife delves into the technical aspects of the Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, developed through the American College of Surgeons Cancer Research Program and Cancer Surgery Standards Program. This episode highlights sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer.

Hosts:
- Lexy (Alexandra) Adams, MD, MPH (@lexyadams16) is a Surgical Oncology fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
- Lauren Postlewait, MD, FACS, is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Emory University School of Medicine and is the Medical Director of the Breast Center at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, GA.
- Chantal Reyna, MD, FACS (@kprgrl3) is a Breast surgical oncologist at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, IL and serves as the oncology clinical lead for the breast service line.

Guest:
- Susan E. Pories, MD, FACS (@SusanPoriesMD) is a professor of surgery, vice chair for quality and safety, and director of the Rutger’s Breast Center at the University hospital.

Learning Objectives:
- Understand the definition and identification of axillary sentinel lymph node.
- Understand the technique for injecting tracer or dye to perform sentinel lymph node biopsy.
- Understand the importance of preincision drainage evaluation and transcutaneous localization.
- Understand techniques to minimize seroma formation.

Links to Papers Referenced in this Episode
Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, Volume 1: Breast, Lung, Pancreas, Colon
https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/cancer-programs/cancer-surgery-standards-program/operative-standards-for-cancer-surgery/purchase/

Kindle edition:
https://www.amazon.com/Operative-Standards-Cancer-Surgery-Section-ebook/dp/B07MWSNFSB

Sentinel-lymph-node resection compared with conventional axillary-lymph-node dissection in clinically node-negative patients with breast cancer: overall survival findings from the NSABP B-32 randomised phase 3 trial Lancet Oncol. 2010 Oct;11(10):927-33.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20863759/

Improved Axillary Evaluation Following Neoadjuvant Therapy for Patients With Node-Positive Breast Cancer Using Selective Evaluation of Clipped Nodes: Implementation of Targeted Axillary Dissection J Clin Oncol. 2016 Apr 1;34(10):1072-8.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26811528/

The false-negative rate of sentinel node biopsy in patients with breast cancer: a meta-analysis World J Surg. 2012 Sep;36(9):2239-51.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22569745/

Effect of lymphoscintigraphy drainage patterns on sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with breast cancer Am J Surg. 2005 Oct;190(4):557-62.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16164919/

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy vs No Axillary Surgery in Patients With Small Breast Cancer and Negative Results on Ultrasonography of Axillary Lymph Nodes: The SOUND Randomized Clinical Trial JAMA Oncol. 2023 Nov 1;9(11):1557-1564.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37733364/

Choosing Wisely Guidelines
Society of Surgical Oncology. Released 2016 July 12; last updated 2020 November 13. Choosing Wisely: Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question.
https://surgonc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/SSO-5things-List_2020-Updates-11-2020.pdf

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Behind the Night, The Surgery Podcast, Relevant and Engaging Content to help you dominate the day.
0:36.6	Hey, BTK listeners, want to feel more confident in the OR? Check out our surgical instrument flashcards.
0:38.3	With over 300 instruments, these cards are packed with key tips, subtle distinctions, and insider tricks you usually pick up after years in the OR.
0:46.3	Perfect for students, surgical technologists, or anyone prepping to scrub a case.
0:50.3	You can find them in your library on the Behind the Knife app or at Behind Theknife.org. Test your knowledge, share them with your learners, and as always, dominate
0:58.0	the day. Hello everyone. Welcome to the new Behind the Knife
1:01.8	mini series on the operative standards of cancer surgery. These are manuals that are
1:06.5	developed through the American College of Surgeons Cancer Research Program. The
1:10.4	operative standards for cancer surgery volumes 1, 2, and 3
1:13.3	offer concrete evidence-based recommendations on cancer surgery techniques
1:17.3	critical to achieving optimal outcomes.
1:20.4	15 disease sites were covered in these three volumes,
1:23.4	and standards for additional disease sites are in progress.
1:26.4	My name is Lexi Adams.
1:28.0	I'm on the Education Committee for the Cancer Surgery Standards Program.
1:31.9	We have launched this new series to help spread the word about these operative standards
1:35.6	and to discuss each of their requirements, timeline, and rationale.
1:40.0	Today we're discussing one of the operative standards on sentinel lymph anectomy for breast cancer, more commonly known as axillary sentinel lymph node biopsy. To help with the discussion,
1:50.0	I'm joined by my fellow committee members and breast surgical oncologists, Dr. Lauren Postal
1:54.5	Waite from Emory University and Dr. Chantal Raina from Loyola University, as well as one of
2:00.6	the contributors of the chapter, Dr. Susan Porese.
2:03.9	She's a professor of surgery and vice chair for quality and safety and director of the Rutgers Breast Center at University Hospital.
	...

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