title: The role of sentinel lymph node in colon cancer evolution.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study is to evaluate the sentinel lymph node mapping (SLNM) with methylene blue staining "ex vivo" in colon cancer, as well as calculate the upstaging obtained by the determination of micrometastases and its correlation with the evolution of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2008 and 2011, 101 patients with colon cancer undergoing resection were studied prospectively with SLNM and detection of micrometastases. The correlation of SLN micrometastases with the disease evolution was evaluated in patients with a follow-up of more than one year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The SLNM rate was 92 cases (91%). Only SLN was positive for micrometastases in 9 cases, with a 14% upstaging. The incidence of false negatives was 9 patients (10%). Mean follow of N0 patients (n=74) was 38 months. The SLN- (negative) group (65 patients) had a recurrence rate of 4 patients (7%), whereas this rate was 2 patients (22%) in the group of SLN+(positive) (9 patients), but without significant differences. No differences in survival were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SLNM is a reproducible technique without significant increase in time and costs. Upstaging was obtained in 14% of patients staged as N0 by conventional technique. At follow-up of N0 patients with SLN+there seems to be a higher rate of recurrence, which could change the guidelines of adjuvant treatment, but we must interpret the results it with caution because the sample is small.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y Digestiva, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona , España. Electronic address: jpallaress@santpau.cat.
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pallarés-Segura
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y Digestiva, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona , España.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Balague-Pons
authors.affiliation: Servicio Anatomía Patológica, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona , España.
authors.forename: Nuria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dominguez-Agustin
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y Digestiva, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona , España.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y Digestiva, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona , España.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y Digestiva, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona , España.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bollo
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y Digestiva, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona , España.
authors.forename: Eduardo M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Targarona-Soler
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y Digestiva, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona , España.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trias-Folch
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D061206:Neoplasm Micrometastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
keywords: Colon carcinoma; Cáncer colorrectal; Ganglio centinela; Micrometastases; Micrometástasis; Sentinel lymph node mapping