SNB after stereotactic biopsy

[csibi]

Is there any limitation in proceeding sentinel node biopsy after having done a stereotactic biopsy - i.o.w. are there any false neg. or false positive reactions , what do you think about tumor cell spreading after stereot.biopsy. I can not find any literature about this topic. Thank you very much!

[CCF-RN,MSN-JS]

Dear csibi, Having had a stereotactic biopsy should not interfere with the ability to perform an accurate sentinel lymph node biopsy.  The sentinel lymph node (SLN) is the first lymph node to drain the primary tumor. The theory is, if the SLN does not contain cancer then the lymph nodes

[surgeon]

there is around a 2 - 10% false negative rate; meaning that the sentinal node is ok but there is tumor in other nodes not checked. The rate depends to some extent on experience. There really isn't a false positive rate: if the node has tumor in it, it has tumor in it. There's no way to be wrong about that. As to biopsy spreading tumor: it's a common concern. My answer is this. For a small tumor, the cure rate of breast cancer is around 90%. Every person with a cancer has had it biopsied in some way, whether with needle, scalpel, etc. There's no way to diagnose it without manipulating it first in some way. Since all women cured have had such manipulation, it's clear the manipulation doesn't prevent cure.