title: [Preoperative lymphoscintigraphy guided sentinel lymph node biopsy in malignant melanoma]
abstract: The authors present preliminary experience with preoperative sentinel lymph node biopsy carried out with lymphoscintigraphy in patients with malignant melanoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the present study patients operated for primary cutaneous malignant melanoma of moderate and high severity were included. On the day of surgery isotope labelled colloid was injected intradermally around the tumor to indicate the lymphatics and to obtain basic information about the localization of the sentinel lymph node(s).During surgery the lymph node(s) previously visualized by the injection of patent-blue staining were detected with the aid of a gamma probe. Simultaneously, the excision of the primary tumor was extended. Histologically verified metastasis in the surgically removed lymph node(s) necessitated block dissection possibly within two weeks. RESULTS: The distribution of patients (19) according to tumor localisation: 2 - upper extremities; 9 - lower extremities; 2 - sacral region; 6 - trunk. Tumor thickness ranged from <1.5 mm (6 patients) to 1.5-3 mm (5 patients) and to >3 mm (8 patients). In two cases the identification of the lymph node has failed. Positive sentinel ymph nodes were detected in two patients. It is noteworthy that with one patient the sentinel lymph node was not regional but intransit. This study was aimed at the development of a suitable method. Further on we wish to try it in prospective randomized studies.
authors.affiliation: Bôrgyógyászati osztály, Országos Onkológiai Intéze, Budapest, H1122, Hungary.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liszkay
authors.forename: Emil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Farkas
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Péley
authors.forename: István
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sinkovics
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Péter
authors.forename: Teodóra
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bánfalvi
authors.forename: Zsuzsanna
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fejôs
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gilde
vernacular_title: Preoperatív limfoszcintigráfiával végrehajtott sentinel nyirokcsomó mûtétek melanoma malignumban.