Info
Sentinel lymph node
Diagnosis
What it means
The first lymph node that a tumor drains into, and therefore the first place where spreading cancer cells might appear. Sentinel lymph node biopsy allows the spread of the disease to be assessed without removing all the lymph nodes in the area.
Related terms
The terms below often appear alongside this one. Each definition is right here, so you do not have to look elsewhere.
- Lymph node
- A small structure of the lymphatic system, involved in the body's defence. In cancer, the lymph nodes are important for staging, because they can be the route by which the disease begins to spread.
- AFP (alpha-fetoprotein)
- A tumor marker useful especially for liver cancer and certain testicular or ovarian tumors. It is measured in the blood for diagnosis, monitoring treatment and detecting a recurrence.
- ALK-positive
- A gene rearrangement found in a subset of lung cancers, more common in non-smoking or younger patients. ALK-positive tumors often respond very well to specific targeted therapies, different from standard chemotherapy.
Other terms in “Diagnosis”
Glossary definitions are written for patients by the OncoDots team and go through internal medical review. They explain terms; they do not establish a diagnosis and do not recommend a treatment.