Sentinel Node Biopsy Detects Spread of Breast and Skin Cancer

​ Stephen Reeder  is the chief executive officer of the UCR Group, which arranges real estate investments in Southern California. Also a philanthropist, Stephen Reeder has sponsored fundraisers to benefit the John Wayne Cancer Institute (JWCI) in Costa Mesa, California. Based in the St. John’s Medical Center, the institute is run by the family of the movie star, who died of stomach cancer in 1974.

The organization specializes in transnational research, which quickly moves innovations from the laboratory to the bedside. JWCI’s scientists delve into conditions such as melanoma (skin cancer) and sarcoma, as well as colon, prostate, and gastrointestinal cancer.

JWCI pioneered the sentinel node biopsy technique, now the preferred method for determining whether breast cancer (or melanoma) has spread to other parts of the body. Doctors use a small needle to remove sentinel nodes, areas where cancer cells gather before going into the lymphatic system. One advantage of the procedure is that it only removes one to five nodes, leaving plenty of others to remove waste fluids and perform other important tasks.

If the biopsy reveals malignant tissue, patients can wait or undergo surgery immediately. They are generally unconscious during the procedure, and can go home the same day if there is no surgery.