title: Usefulness of sentinel node biopsy in laparoscopic partial gastrectomy for early gastric cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Five patients having early gastric cancer were treated using laparoscopic partial gastrectomy combined with sentinel lymph node biopsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preoperatively, 3.5 mq of Tc-labeled tin colloid was endoscopically injected near the tumor. Under general anesthesia, laparoscopic partial gastrectomy was then performed. Radioisotope (RI)-positive nodes were explored before performing laparoscopic partial gastrectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An average of 2.6 sentinel nodes was detected in this way. All patients were found to be free from nodal involvement both histologically and immunohistologically during surgery. Four patients had mucosal cancer and one patient had submucosal cancer, which agreed with the preoperative diagnosis of tumor depth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sentinel node biopsy in conjunction with laparoscopy in early gastric cancer surgery may allow confirmation of complete removal of risk nodes in early gastric cancer.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Oncology, Digestive Surgery, Kagoshima University School of Medicine, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima 890, Japan. Ishiga@m.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Sumiya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishigami
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Natsugoe
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uenosono
authors.forename: Shigehiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yanagita
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okumura
authors.forename: Yasuto
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uchikado
authors.forename: Takaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arigami
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arima
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Setoyama
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aikou
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*