Anton Bilchik MD Explains Lymphatic Mapping

Anton Bilchik MD Explains Lymphatic Mapping

As a pioneer in cancer surgery and research, Anton Bilchik is dedicated to improving survival rates for cancer patients. Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. Cancer becomes especially life-threatening when it spreads, or metastasizes, to other organs. When cancer metastasizes, it usually spreads to the nearest lymph node.

Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped glands located in various places around your body. Lymph nodes and lymph vessels make up the lymphatic system, which is responsible for collecting fluid, debris, and other substances outside of the circulatory system. The lymphatic system is similar to the circulatory system, except that lymph nodes and vessels carry a watery fluid known as “lymph,” instead of blood. You have hundreds of lymph nodes located in various places around your body; lymph flows in an organized pattern within the lymphatic system network.

Lymph flows out from the walls of capillary veins to bathe the tissue cells. Lymph carries oxygen and nutrients to body cells, and then takes away waste products, such as carbon dioxide. Lymph also contains white blood cells, which are important for fighting infection.

Lymph can also carry cancer cells back to the lymph gland, where cancer can settle in and metastasize. Anton Bilchik refers to the very first lymph node to receive this drainage as the sentinel lymph node. The sentinel lymph node is the most likely location for metastasis, but it can be elusive to identify, because it is not always the closest node to the original cancer site. This has made it difficult for doctors to know which lymph node to monitor for metastasis.

Anton Bilchik has done extensive research into lymphatic mapping, a technique that helps doctors determine which node is the most likely to become the sentinel lymph node in cancer cases. In the procedure, the physician injects a tiny amount of radioactive dye into the original cancer site, and then uses a scanner to trace the flow of dye as it enters the sentinel lymph node.

Contact Anton Bilchik for more information on lymphatic mapping and other advanced techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.