{"id":2345,"date":"2019-06-27T15:09:16","date_gmt":"2019-06-27T15:09:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/scfredesignpro.wpengine.com\/?page_id=2345"},"modified":"2022-07-28T19:41:29","modified_gmt":"2022-07-28T19:41:29","slug":"slnb","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/skin-cancer-information\/melanoma\/the-stages-of-melanoma\/slnb\/","title":{"rendered":"Melanoma Diagnostic Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\">Melanoma <span style=\"color: rgba(50,63,74,0.65);\">Diagnostic\u00a0Overview<\/span><\/h1>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column offset=&#8221;vc_col-lg-offset-1 vc_col-lg-10&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|text_align:center&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;9\/12&#8243;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;large&#8221;]Since melanoma often quickly spreads to nearby lymph nodes, the nodes are examined once a diagnosis is confirmed. If the physician sees or feels that nodes are enlarged, or if imaging strongly suggests enlargement, the cancer may have spread to local <a href=\"#what\">lymph nodes<\/a>. If nodes do not appear enlarged, a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a common way to determine whether the disease has reached the lymph nodes.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;page-nav&#8221;]<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#what\">What is a lymph node?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#sentinel\">What is a sentinel lymph node?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#happens\">What happens during an SLNB?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=&#8221;2079&#8243; img_size=&#8221;medium&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1532456871168{background-color: #323f4a !important;}&#8221;][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/5&#8243; el_class=&#8221;subpage-nav&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;Overview&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#323f4a&#8221; custom_text=&#8221;#ffcc42&#8243; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; i_align=&#8221;right&#8221; i_icon_fontawesome=&#8221;fa fa-arrow-right&#8221; add_icon=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.skincancer.org%2Fskin-cancer-information%2Fmelanoma%2F|||&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/5&#8243; el_class=&#8221;subpage-nav&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;Risk Factors&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#323f4a&#8221; custom_text=&#8221;#ffcc42&#8243; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; i_align=&#8221;right&#8221; i_icon_fontawesome=&#8221;fa fa-arrow-right&#8221; add_icon=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skincancer.org%2Fskin-cancer-information%2Fmelanoma%2Fmelanoma-causes-and-risk-factors%2F|title:Melanoma%20Risk%20Factors||&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/5&#8243; el_class=&#8221;subpage-nav&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;Warning Signs&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#323f4a&#8221; custom_text=&#8221;#ffcc42&#8243; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; i_align=&#8221;right&#8221; i_icon_fontawesome=&#8221;fa fa-arrow-right&#8221; add_icon=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skincancer.org%2Fskin-cancer-information%2Fmelanoma%2Fmelanoma-warning-signs-and-images%2F|title:Melanoma%20Warning%20Signs||&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/5&#8243; el_class=&#8221;subpage-nav&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;Stages&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#323f4a&#8221; custom_text=&#8221;#ffcc42&#8243; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; i_align=&#8221;right&#8221; i_icon_fontawesome=&#8221;fa fa-arrow-right&#8221; add_icon=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skincancer.org%2Fskin-cancer-information%2Fmelanoma%2Fthe-stages-of-melanoma%2F|title:Melanoma%20Stages||&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/5&#8243; el_class=&#8221;subpage-nav&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;Treatment&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#323f4a&#8221; custom_text=&#8221;#ffcc42&#8243; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; i_align=&#8221;right&#8221; i_icon_fontawesome=&#8221;fa fa-arrow-right&#8221; add_icon=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skincancer.org%2Fskin-cancer-information%2Fmelanoma%2Fmelanoma-treatments%2F|title:Melanoma%20Treatment||&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section][vc_row el_class=&#8221;content-block&#8221; el_id=&#8221;what&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;What is a lymph node?&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]Lymph nodes are glands that are part of your lymphatic system where your white blood cells form, and where lymph, a clear fluid containing your white blood cells, is filtered.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=&#8221;content-block&#8221; el_id=&#8221;sentinel&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;What is a sentinel lymph node?&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]Sentinel nodes are the first lymph nodes that drain lymph fluid from the primary tumor, and it is believed when the cancer spreads, it will show up first in these lymph nodes. In most areas of the body, there are only one or two sentinel lymph nodes. In the head and neck, there are typically two to five sentinel lymph nodes.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=&#8221;content-block&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;What happens during an SLNB?&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]A sentinel lymph node biopsy is a minimally invasive procedure with a low risk of side effects. It provides important information to guide doctors in staging and treating the disease.<\/p>\n<h4>Here\u2019s what to expect<\/h4>\n<ol>\n<li>The medical team begins by injecting a tracer material into the tumor site to help the surgeon locate the sentinel nodes during the procedure. Sometimes the medical team will also inject a blue dye into the tumor so that the nodes appear blue during the procedure.<\/li>\n<li>Using an instrument that detects the tracer, the path from tumor to nearby sentinel nodes is mapped. Cancer cells from the tumor would likely follow this path.<\/li>\n<li>The sentinel nodes are removed and analyzed in a lab.<\/li>\n<li>If cancer cells are discovered in the lymph nodes, the surgeon removes all local lymph nodes or destroys them with radiation therapy. Often, both procedures are performed: the lymph nodes are completely removed followed by radiation to help prevent recurrence.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>Benefits of SLNB<\/h3>\n<p>Once melanoma travels to the lymph nodes it becomes harder to treat. SLNB helps patients by:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Identifying where cancer cells <\/strong>may have spread.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Revealing cancer cells<\/strong> that are not visible and cannot be detected through physical examination or imaging.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Helping the doctor predict<\/strong> the patient\u2019s chance of recovery, also known as prognosis.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Guiding the doctor<\/strong> to determine the best treatment options.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Preventing a local recurrence<\/strong> by removing or destroying cancerous nodes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<em><strong>Reviewed by<\/strong>:\u00a0 Brittany Barber, MD<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Last updated:<\/strong> June 2022<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Melanoma Diagnostic\u00a0Overview [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column offset=&#8221;vc_col-lg-offset-1 vc_col-lg-10&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|text_align:center&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;9\/12&#8243;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;large&#8221;]Since melanoma often quickly spreads to nearby [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":2088,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2345","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.3 (Yoast SEO v25.3) - 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