A Young Woman is Diagnosed with Breast Cancer

Question

A young woman is diagnosed with breast cancer.She is most apt to have
A) a sentinel node biopsy before the mastectomy is performed.
B) a sentinel node biopsy after breast reconstruction surgery.
C) the sentinel node radiated during the mastectomy surgical procedure.
D) a mastectomy and excision of all axillary lymph nodes; only then is the sentinel node biopsied.

Accepted Answer

A sentinel node biopsy is typically performed before a mastectomy to check if cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. This information is used to determine the extent of surgery needed for the mastectomy.