title: Sentinel lymph node in lung cancer surgery.
abstract: The greatest utility of sentinel lymph node (SLN) assessment is the avoidance of lymph node dissection and related morbidity. Another potential utility is the ability to direct pathologic examination and more sensitive techniques to detect occult micrometastatic disease. New pathologic methods can identify single tumor cells or even genetic material within a single lymph node station, bringing the concept of ultrastaging and micrometastasis in the field on staging. This article describes the SLN technique in patients with early non-small-cell lung cancer, as unique and useful targeting enables pathologists to localize micrometastatic foci within an otherwise normal lymph node.
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department, University of Pisa, Via paradisa\2, 56124 Pisa, Italy. franca_melfi@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Franca M A
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Melfi
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Davini
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Boni
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mussi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061206:Neoplasm Micrometastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018579:Patient Selection; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*