Inguinal sentinel lymph node biopsy for staging anal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The optimal treatment of clinically negative inguinal lymph nodes in patients with primary anal cancer has not yet been clearly defined. The presence of metastases in the inguinal lymph nodes is an adverse prognostic factor for anal cancer. In the present study the feasibility of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for staging anal cancer was investigated.


METHODS
From September 1999 to March 2002, 8 patients with biopsy proven primary anal cancer underwent lymphoscintigraphy and dual-agent guided inguinal SLNB for nodal staging before starting multimodality treatment.


RESULTS
Inguinal SLNB was successful in all 8 patients (13 groins). A total of 20 hot and blue SLNs (mean 1,5 (1-2) per groins) were removed. In 2 patients (25%) the SLN was positive for metastasis.


CONCLUSIONS
Lymphoscintigraphy followed by dual-agent guided inguinal SLNB is technically feasible for staging patients with primary anal cancer. The detection of metastases in the removed sentinel lymph node(s) may alter the treatment and thus may improve the locoregional control and overall survival of these patients.
Péley
G
G
Department of Surgery, National Institute of Oncology, 1122 Budapest, Ráth Gy. u. 7-9, Hungary. peley@oncol.hu
Farkas
E
E
Sinkovics
I
I
Kovács
T
T
Keresztes
S
S
Orosz
Z
Z
Köves
I
I
D000368:Aged; D001005:Anus Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006119:Groin; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy