Sentinel lymph nodes in malignant tumors

The paper reflected the background of the concept, history of lymphography, as well as the current understanding the problem by studying of the concept of sentinel lymph nodes in malignant tumors. As metastasis to regional lymph nodes is the first step in the spread of most malignant tumors the status of the regional lymph node has diagnostic value for determining the degree of malignancy. The combination of two imaging techniques of sentinel lymph node allows to identify in almost cases, including in any tumor location even in uncertain direction of lymph flow. In case of the negative sentinel lymph node can be argued on the absence of metastases in other lymph nodes. Routine histological study of the lymph node should be completed by Immunohistochemistry analysis (Real-time PCR). Therapeutic lymph node dissection should be performed only by histological and Real-time PCR verification of tumor metastases in lymph nodes. In case of detection of micrometastases in lymph node remote question of the advantage of total lymph nodes dissection requires the further discussion.