title: Sentinel node mapping for gastric cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sentinel lymph node mapping is the standard of care for patients with malignant melanoma and breast cancer. Recently, SLN mapping was introduced to the field of gastric cancer.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate SLN mapping in patients with gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 43 patients with gastric cancer, open intraoperative subserosal dye injection in four opposing peritumoral points was used. Ten minutes following dye injection, stained LNs were located, marked and examined postoperatively from the surgical specimen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SLN mapping was performed in 43 patients with gastric cancer; 782 lymph nodes were harvested and evaluated. SLNs were stained in 34 of the patients (79.1%) with a mean of 2.85 SLNs per patient. The false negative rate was 20.9%, the positive predictive value 100%, the negative predictive value 78.6% and the sensitivity 86.9%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SLN mapping in patients with gastric cancer is feasible and easy to perform. SLN mapping may mainly affect the extent of lymph node dissection, and to a lesser degree gastric resection. However, more data are needed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rabin
authors.forename: Bar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chikman
authors.forename: Zvi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Halpern
authors.forename: Ilan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wassermann
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lavy
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gold-Deutch
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sandbank
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Halevy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*