Follow-up of sentinel node negative breast cancer patients without axillary lymph node dissection.

Background And Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer patients at our institution and to report the follow-up status of node-negative patients with removal of only the sentinel node.

Methods: A total of 247 breast cancer patients underwent sentinel node (SN) mapping between June of 1996 and September of 2000. The SN was identified by using a combination of vital blue dye and a radiolabeled colloid.