Abstract: The minimally invasive era for lymph node surgery in breast cancer began with sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). Evidence-based medicine class I evidence supports that SLNB is a safe and effective axillary staging technique for patients with clinically negative axillary lymph node early breast cancer. The risk of axillary lymph node metastasis and complications in breast cancer patients with negative/low tumor burden sentinel lymph nodes without axillary lymph node dissection is very low. As a minimally invasive staging technique for breast cancer regional lymph nodes, SLNB should be established as a standardized operation for safe and effective replacement of axillary lymph node dissection. At present, SLNB has gradually become standardized and popularized for early breast cancer patients in China. This article reviews the SLNB indications, tracer application, learning curve, standard operation and tissue management.