title: Sentinel node disection in the treatment of early stages of vulvar cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the results of sentinel lymph node (SLN) detection in the initial stages of vulvar cancer and the recurrences that may appear.
  
  
  METHODS
  76 patients with vulvar carcinoma, Stage I and II. Between 2000 and 2010, identification of the SLN was performed with a perilesional injection of Tc99m and vital dye. Ninety sentinel lymph nodes were found. They were removed separately, and lymphadenectomy was performed depending on the involved areas. Vulvar tumour was also removed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  76 patients were included in the study; 20 (22.22%) out of 90 SLNs presented metastases and 70 (77.77%) did not. There were no false negatives, and the sensitivity and negative predictive value reached 100%. Thirty-six months after treatment, one patient presented recurrence with a negative SLN, and two with positive SLNs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Biopsy of the SLN is a reasonable alternative to lymphadenectomy in patients with vulvar cancer Stage I and II.
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, University Hospital of Salamanca, Spain. aiglesias@usal.es
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Iglesias
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Martín
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ruano
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Beltrán
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peñalosa
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hernández-Barreiro
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martín de Arriba
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lanchares
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery