This procedure was brought to my attention by my surgeon, Dr. Singletary. I had a consultation with her before surgery, and during that consultation she explained to me about the Sentinel Node Biopsy, how it would be done and what the benefits were of it.

A few hours before surgery, I was taken to the Nuclear Medicine Department. There they injected radioactive tracer in the area around my tumor.

After surgery I felt a little discomfort, but I could tolerate it. I was discharged the next day. Then seven days later I came back and the wound from surgery was completely healed.

I would recommend this procedure called Sentinel Node Biopsy to a friend who had the same situation because from my experience after surgery I had no complications, no infection, no swelling of the arm, and my recovery time was short.

I discovered a lump in my left breast. I contacted
	my doctor's office to order a mammogram for
		me. When the mammogram showed a
			suspicious spot, I was referred to
				M.D. Anderson for ultrasound and a core
					biopsy. Those tests confirmed that I had
					a malignant tumor in my left breast. They
					concluded that my cancer was Stage II.
			My treatment plan consisted of three
		phases. First I had chemotherapy for six
	months. Then I had the surgery, known as a
lumpectomy, followed by radiation therapy.