title: Sentinel node biopsy for high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The use of sentinel node biopsy (SNB) has not been established for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and its clinical significance has not been clarified. We investigated the usefulness of and indication criteria for SNB for cutaneous SCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six patients with high-risk cutaneous SCC that had undergone SNB were retrospectively reviewed. SNB was performed with either the dye method or a combined dye and radioisotope method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 26 patients, recurrence or metastasis was observed in 5 cases (19.2%). Six cases (23.1%) were sentinel node (SN) metastasis-positive. All cases that were SN metastasis-negative survived, and 4 of 6 SN metastasis-positive (66.7%) cases died of the original disease. The 3-year survival rates of all cases, SN metastasis-negative cases, and SN metastasis-positive cases were 82.2%, 100%, and 20.8%, respectively. Tumour thickness was a significant risk factor for SN metastasis (p = 0.049). Recurrence occurred in 4 of 7 cases involving external genitalia, 3 of which died. The 3-year survival rates of external genitalia and nongenital cases were 47.6% and 94.1%, respectively (p = 0.016).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SNB aided the early discovery and treatment of latent lymph node metastasis and helped predict whether SN metastasis had occurred, and therefore helped predict patient prognosis. These results suggest that thickness of the primary lesion is an indication criterion for the use of SNB in cases of cutaneous SCC. SNB should be considered in cases where tumour thickness is ≥2 mm and actively performed in cases ≥5 mm.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, 7-45-1 Nanakuma, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan. Electronic address: atakahashi4615@yahoo.co.jp.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Takahashi
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, 7-45-1 Nanakuma, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Imafuku
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, 7-45-1 Nanakuma, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Nakayama
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, 7-45-1 Nanakuma, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Nakaura
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, 7-45-1 Nanakuma, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Ito
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, 7-45-1 Nanakuma, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan.
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Shibayama
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004396:Coloring Agents; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D011379:Prognosis; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D047368:Tumor Burden
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; C008769:sulfan blue
keywords: High-risk SCC; Regional lymph node metastasis; Sentinel node biopsy; Squamous cell carcinoma