title: Validation of the sentinel lymph node biopsy technique in head and neck cancers of the oral cavity.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to present our experience and validate the use of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping in patients with head and neck cancers. A retrospective review of a prospectively collected database of patients with a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck from 2008 to 2011 was done. The group consisted of a total of 20 patients. The first node(s) highlighted with blue, or identified as radioactive by Tc99-sulfur radioactive colloid, was (were) identified as the SLNs. In the first seven patients, formal modified neck dissection was performed. In the remaining 13 patients, only a SLN biopsy procedure was done. At least one SLN was identified in all 20 patients (100%). Only one patient (5%) had positive nodes. In this case, the SLN was also positive. In the remaining 19 cases, all lymph nodes were negative. After an average of 24 months of follow-up, there have been three local recurrences (15%) but no evidence of distant metastatic disease. SLN mapping in head and neck cancers is a feasible technique with a high identification rate and a low false-negative rate. Although the detection rate of regional metastatic disease compares favorably with published data as well as the disease-free and overall survival, further studies are warranted before considering this technique to be the "gold standard" in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and a negative neck by clinical examination and imaging studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Pejman
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Radkani
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Mesko
authors.forename: Juan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Paramo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D037981:Neck Dissection; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D055815:Young Adult