scholarly journals The Basics of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy: Anatomical and Pathophysiological Considerations and Clinical Aspects

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasuh Utku Dogan ◽  
Selen Dogan ◽  
Giovanni Favero ◽  
Christhardt Köhler ◽  
Polat Dursun

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) is the first node to receive the drainage directly from a tumor. Detection and pathological examination of the SLN is an important oncological procedure that minimizes morbidity related to extensive nodal dissection. SLN biopsy was first reported in 1960 but took approximately 40 years to come into general practice following reports of good outcomes in patients with melanoma. After many years of observation and research on its use in various malignancies SLN biopsy has become the standard surgical treatment in patients with malignant melanoma, breast, vulvar, and cervical cancers. Along with the introduction of new technologies, such as the fluorescent dyes indocyanine green (ICG) and near-infrared fluorescence (NIR), and pathologic ultrastaging, SLN detection rate has increased and false-negative rate has decreased. This literature review aimed to present an overview of the basic concepts and clinical aspects of SLN biopsy in the light of the current research.

2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
E Johnston ◽  
S Taylor ◽  
F Bannon ◽  
S McAllister

Abstract Introduction and Aims The aim of this systematic review is to provide an up-to-date evaluation of the role and test performance of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in the head and neck. Method This review follows the PRISMA guidelines. Database searches for MEDLINE and EMBASE were constructed to retrieve human studies published between 1st January 2010 and 1st July 2020 assessing the role and accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy in cutaneous malignant melanoma of the head and neck. Articles were independently screened by two reviewers and critically appraised using the MINORS criteria. The primary outcomes consisted of the sentinel node identification rate and test-performance measures, including the false-negative rate and the posttest probability negative. Results A total of 27 studies, including 4688 patients, met the eligibility criteria. Statistical analysis produced weighted summary estimates for the sentinel node identification rate of 97.3% (95% CI, 95.9% to 98.6%), the false-negative rate of 21.3% (95% CI, 17.0% to 25.4%) and the posttest probability negative of 4.8% (95% CI, 3.9% to 5.8%). Discussion Sentinel lymph node biopsy is accurate and feasible in the head and neck. Despite technical improvements in localisation techniques, the false negative rate remains disproportionately higher than for melanoma in other anatomical sites.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 2513826X2110222
Author(s):  
Christine Nicholas ◽  
Carmen Webb ◽  
Claire Temple-Oberle

Reducing false negative rates for sentinel lymph node biopsies (SLNB) in melanoma is important to accurately prognosticate and to guide treatment. Traditionally, SLNB has been performed with the adjunct of radiotracers and blue dye. Although sentinel node mapping is highly successful in axillary and inguinal node basins, identification of nodes in the head and neck is not as accurate with traditional methods. One reason for this may be failure of radiotracer migration. To augment standard technique using a radiocolloid, indocyanine green (ICG) combined with near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), has shown promising results. We demonstrate a case of an individual undergoing SLNB in the head and neck region with failure of radiotracer migration. Identification of a sentinel node was accomplished with the use of ICG and NIRS. This technology offers an opportunity to salvage the SLNB when traditional methods fail.


2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (12) ◽  
pp. 1295-1297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pejman Radkani ◽  
Thomas W. Mesko ◽  
Juan C. Paramo

The purpose of this study was to present our experience and validate the use of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping in patients with head and neck cancers. A retrospective review of a pro-spectively collected database of patients with a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck from 2008 to 2011 was done. The group consisted of a total of 20 patients. The first node(s) highlighted with blue, or identified as radioactive by Tc99-sulfur radioactive colloid, was (were) identified as the SLNs. In the first seven patients, formal modified neck dissection was performed. In the remaining 13 patients, only a SLN biopsy procedure was done. At least one SLN was identified in all 20 patients (100%). Only one patient (5%) had positive nodes. In this case, the SLN was also positive. In the remaining 19 cases, all lymph nodes were negative. After an average of 24 months of follow-up, there have been three local recurrences (15%) but no evidence of distant metastatic disease. SLN mapping in head and neck cancers is a feasible technique with a high identification rate and a low false-negative rate. Although the detection rate of regional metastatic disease compares favorably with published data as well as the disease-free and overall survival, further studies are warranted before considering this technique to be the “gold standard” in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and a negative neck by clinical examination and imaging studies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Loh Soon Khang ◽  
Suraya Baharudin ◽  
Juliana Abdul Latiff ◽  
Siti Aishah Mahamad Dom ◽  
Shahrun Niza Suhaimi

INTRODUCTION: Introduction: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is now recognized as the standard of care for early breast cancer patients with negative axillary lymph nodes. Various approaches for Sentinel Lymph Node (SLN) identification using either the blue dye method or scintigraphy alone or their combination have been proposed. However, this method is costly and may not be applicable in certain developing countries. SLNB involving the use of indocyanine green (ICG) offers several advantages, and it is valid and safe when in direct comparison with the blue dye method and scintigraphy. Hence, we performed SLNB using this method in early breast cancer as the first center that involves the use of ICG in Malaysia. We performed validation study on this method with the aims to determine its sensitivity and safety profile. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a validation and non-randomised prospective observational study involving 20 patients underwent SLNB wherein ICG is used for localisation. The patients were recruited according to the recommendations stipulated in the Malaysia Clinical Practice Guideline. RESULT: The average number of SLNs removed per patient was 4.0 (range, 3–6) with sentinel lymph nodes detection rate at 98.75% (79/80). The false negative rate is at 5%. No adverse events were observed in all cases. CONCLUSION: The ICG fluorescence method is simple, reliable and safe. Moreover, it demonstrates a high SLN detection rate with a low false-negative rate, and it does not require a special instrument for radioisotope use.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergi Vidal-Sicart ◽  
Renato Valdés Olmos

Axillary node status is a major prognostic factor in early-stage disease. Traditional staging needs levels I and II axillary lymph node dissection. Axillary involvement is found in 10%–30% of patients with T1 (<2 cm) tumours. Sentinel lymph node biopsy is a minimal invasive method of checking the potential nodal involvement. It is based on the assumption of an orderly progression of lymph node invasion by metastatic cells from tumour site. Thus, when sentinel node is free of metastases the remaining nodes are free, too (with a false negative rate lesser than 5%). Moreover, Randomized trials demonstrated a marked reduction of complications associated with the sentinel lymph node biopsy when compared with axillary lymph node dissection. Currently, the sentinel node biopsy procedure is recognized as the standard treatment for stages I and II. In these stages, this approach has a positive node rate similar to those observed after lymphadenectomy, a significant decrease in morbidity and similar nodal relapse rates at 5 years. In this review, the indications and contraindications of the sentinel node biopsy are summarized and the methodological aspects discussed. Finally, the new technologic and histologic developments allow to develop a more accurate and refinate technique that can achieve virtually the identification of 100% of sentinel nodes and reduce the false negative rate.


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