title: Predictive role of preoperative lymphoscintigraphy on the status of the sentinel lymph node in clinically node-negative patients with cutaneous melanoma.
abstract: We reviewed our experience to assess the predictive role of preoperative lymphoscintigraphy with regard to the pathological status of sentinel lymph node (sN) in patients with cutaneous melanoma, to optimize the surgical treatment planning with regard to the use of intraoperative frozen section examination of sN. Eighty-eight patients with clinically node-negative cutaneous melanoma pT1b-T4 stage underwent preoperative lymphoscintigraphy for the lymphatic mapping of sN. A lymphoscintigraphic 'score' (from L1 to L5) was developed based on the ratio of radiotracer concentration within sN nodes as compared with the injection site. Our score allowed us to foresee that sN of patients with thick melanomas (T3 and T4) and a low preoperative score (L1-L2-L3) had a 90% expected likelihood (P<0.001) of harboring metastasis, whereas sN in patients with thin melanomas (T1b-T2) and high preoperative score (from L4 to L5) showed a 100% likelihood of being metastasis free. In conclusion, the sN is a reliable predictor of regional lymph node status in patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma. Moreover, we suggest that a low score (L1-L2-L3) associated with a thick melanoma is a good predictive factor of the positive sN involvement. This information could be useful in scheduling the intraoperative frozen-section examination with an expected benefit of a positive test in almost 90% of patients. Such patients might be selected for a 'one-stage' procedure with a more effective cost/benefit ratio and decreased hospitalization costs.
authors: Division of Surgical Oncology, National Cancer Research Institute of Genova, L. go R. Benzi, 10, Genova 16132, Italy. nicola.solari@istge.it
authors: Nicola
authors: N
authors: Solari
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Gipponi
authors: Mattia
authors: M
authors: Stella
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Queirolo
authors: Carmine
authors: C
authors: di Somma
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Villa
authors: Arnoldo
authors: A
authors: Piccardo
authors: Marina
authors: M
authors: Gualco
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Cardinale
authors: Ferdinando
authors: F
authors: Cafiero
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin; D047368:Tumor Burden
chemical_list: D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin