Author(s)

Nathan M. Hinkle^1,2, Alpin D. Malkan², John A. Sandoval^2*

¹Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, USA.
²Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, USA.

Oncologic staging of many solid organ malignancies involves an understanding of how cancers spread via the lymphatic system, and ultimately may involve evaluation of the primary nodal drainage basin by performing a sentinel lymph node biopsy. In the adult population, there are well established indications for sentinel lymph node biopsy in diseases like melanoma and breast cancer. However, its use and relevance in the pediatric population is less defined. This review details the history and development of sentinel lymph node biopsy technique, advanced lymph node mapping techniques currently under investigation, and the applications of sentinel node biopsy towards childhood cancers.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy, Pediatric Melanoma, Spitz Nevus, Atypical Spitzoid Tumor, Spitzoid Melanoma, Rhabdomyosarcoma, Nonrhabdomyosarcoma, Soft Tissue Sarcoma, Breast Cancer

Hinkle, N. , Malkan, A. and Sandoval, J. (2014) The Application and Indications for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Pediatric Solid Tumors: Current Status and Future Directions. International Journal of Clinical Medicine, 5, 1130-1141. doi: 10.4236/ijcm.2014.518145.