Future perspectives on selective sentinel lymphadenectomy

Selective sentinel lymphadenectomy is a standard staging procedure for patients with melanoma and is rapidly evolving into a standard procedure for breast cancer. A well-trained, multidisciplinary team is essential for the success of such a procedure. Clinical trials are under way to determine the clinical significance of sentinel lymph nodes in melanoma and breast cancer. The techniques of harvesting are being developed in other solid cancers, such as gynecologic and gastrointestinal cancer. Cellular and molecular techniques are being used to study the mechanism of micrometastasis.