A positive result indicates that cancer cells are present in the sentinel lymph node, suggesting that the cancer may have spread to other lymph nodes or parts of the body. This often leads to more extensive lymph node removal (lymphadenectomy) or additional treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation.
A negative result means no cancer cells are detected in the sentinel lymph node, suggesting that the cancer has not spread to the lymphatic system. This may spare the patient from more invasive surgical procedures and additional treatments.
