Value of intraoperative imprint cytology of sentinel nodes in patients with cervical cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate intraoperative imprint cytology (IC) for the detection of sentinel node (SN) involvement in patients with cervical cancer.


METHODS
Thirty-six consecutive patients with cervical cancer underwent a laparoscopic SN procedure with intraoperative IC, followed by complete laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy, with or without laparoscopic para-aortic lymphadenectomy. The SN was bisected and both cut surfaces were applied to the surface of glass slides. Permanent sections were stained with H&E and immunohistochemical methods. The IC results were compared with the final histological results.


RESULTS
At least one SN (mean: 2 SN per patient, range: 1-5) was detected in 34 of the 36 patients. Eight patients (22.2%) had a total of 12 metastatic SNs (four macrometastatic, five micrometastatic, and three with isolated tumor cells). No false-negative results of SN biopsy were obtained. Only one metastasis was identified by IC. No false-positive findings were obtained with IC. The overall sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values of IC were 8.3%, 100%, 85.7%, 100%, and 85.5%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that intraoperative imprint cytology of sentinel nodes is unreliable in patients with cervical cancer.
Barranger
Emmanuel
E
Department of Gynecologic and Breast cancers, Hôpital Tenon, 75020 Paris, France. emmanuel.barranger@tnn.ap-hop.paris.fr
Cortez
Annie
A
Uzan
Serge
S
Callard
Patrice
P
Darai
Emile
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*