[Clinical significance of sentinel lymph nodes detection in patients with early stage cervical cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To study the value of sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) in prediction of the pelvic lymph nodes status and to determine the significance of SLN detection in pelvic lymph nodes dissection in patients with early stage cervical carcinoma.


METHODS
From November 2002 to August 2003, 23 patients with early stage cervical carcinoma planned to undergo radical hysterectomy and extensive pelvic lymph nodes dissection received an intracervical injection of technetium-labeled sulfur colloid as well as blue dye to identify and perform resection of SLNs. The SLNs were pathologically compared with non-SLNs with frozen section, paraffin section, and anti-cytokeratin immunohistochemical staining.


RESULTS
Out of 23 patients, SLNs were detected in 19 patients. A total of 59 SLNs were identified and the mean was 3 per patient. The detection rate of SLN was 83%. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the SLN biopsy were 83%, 100% and 95%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
SLNs detection can predict the pelvic lymph nodes status in early stage cervical carcinoma, but the feasibility and safety of this technique to substitute conventional surgical modality should be evaluated by large series of prospective studies.
Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Shandong Provincial Cancer Hospital and Institute, Jinan 250117, China.
Xiu-gui
XG
Sheng
Da-peng
DP
Li
Nai-fu
NF
Liu
Qing-shui
QS
Li
Ling
L
Tang
Hui-qin
HQ
Li
Chun-hua
CH
Lu
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000379:methods; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010388:Pelvis / Q000473:pathology; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*
D007633:Keratins