Management of clinically node negative penile carcinoma: improved survival after the introduction of dynamic sentinel node biopsy.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the clinical outcome of clinically node negative penile carcinoma managed by surveillance or further diagnosed by dynamic sentinel node biopsy with subsequent resection of lymph node metastases.


METHODS
From 1956 to 1994, 85 patients with primary T2-3N0M0 penile squamous cell carcinoma were treated with initial surveillance of the regional lymph nodes. From 1994 until 2001, 68 patients underwent dynamic sentinel node biopsy.


RESULTS
The 2 populations were similar in terms of patient age, clinical T stage, tumor grade, vascular invasion and infiltration depth. Disease specific 3-year survival in the surveillance and sentinel node groups was 79% and 91%, respectively (log rank test p = 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
Early detection of lymph node metastases by dynamic sentinel node biopsy and subsequent resection in clinically node negative T2-3 penile carcinoma improves survival compared with a policy of surveillance.
Lont
A P
AP
Department of Urology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute/Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Plesmanlaan 21, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Horenblas
S
S
Tanis
P J
PJ
Gallee
M P
MP
van Tinteren
H
H
Nieweg
O E
OE
D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010412:Penile Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy