Cervical cancer is a common gynecologic malignancy. Most patients with early-stage cervical cancer received unnecessary systemic pelvic lymphadenectomy, which increased the risk of surgical complications. At present, sentinel lymph node biopsy has been applied in the clinical practice of cervical cancer abroad, however it is still at the starting stage in China in need of application and promotion. The Obstetrics and Gynecology Committee of Chinese Research Hospital Association invited domestic experts in the field of gynecologic oncology to discuss the application value, patient evaluation, technical methods, operation steps, pathological examination and many other key points of sentinel lymph node biopsy based on the current research status, and reached the consensus of clinical application on sentinel lymph node biopsy in cervical cancer to guide the standardized application of the technique in China.
Consensus ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes/surgery* ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Sentinel Lymph Node/surgery* ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/surgery*

Axillary interventions, represented by axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), has been a key component in radical surgeries for breast cancer since the proposal of radical mastectomy. ALND substantially affects the quality of life of the patients. In recent years, many studies suggested that axillary interventions may not be necessary for all breast cancer patients, and for early early-stage patients, it brings more harm than benefit. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has provided good guidance to indicate the necessity of ALND, but several studies revealed that not all patients with positive SLNB results benefited from ALND. In this review, the authors summarize the recent progress of researches of these two hot issues.
Axilla ; Breast Neoplasms ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; Quality of Life ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

BACKGROUND: Methylene blue is the most commonly used tracer for sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy (SLNB) in China. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of clinical application of SLNB using methylene blue dye (MBD) for early breast cancer and the prognosis of patients with different SLN and non-SLN statuses. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological data of patients with early breast cancer treated at the Peking University First Hospital between 2013 and 2018. We calculated the SLN identification rate (IR) in SLNB with MBD and the false-negative rate (FNR), and analyzed the prognosis of patients with different SLN and non-SLN statuses using Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS: Between January 2013 and December 2018, 1603 patients with early breast cancer underwent SLNB with MBD. The SLN IR was 95.8% (1536/1603). Two SLNs (median) were detected per patient. There were significant differences in FNR between patients with SLN micrometastasis and macrometastasis (19.0% vs. 4.5%, χ2 = 12.771, P < 0.001). Chi-square test showed that there were significant differences in SLN successful detection rates among patients with different vascular tumor embolism status (96.3% vs. 90.8%, χ2 = 9.013, P = 0.003) and tumor (T) stages (96.6% vs. 94.1%, χ2 = 5.189, P = 0.023). Multivariate analysis showed that vascular tumor embolism was the only independent factor for SLN successful detection (odds ratio: 0.440, 95% confidence interval: 0.224-0.862, P = 0.017). Survival analysis showed a significant difference in disease-free survival (DFS) between patients with non-SLN metastasis and patients without non-SLN metastasis (P = 0.006). CONCLUSION Our single-center data show that, as a commonly used tracer in SLNB in China, MBD has an acceptable SLN IR and a low FNR in frozen sections. This finding is consistent with reports of dual tracer-guided SLNB. Positive SLNs with non-SLN metastasis are associated with DFS.
Breast Neoplasms/surgery* ; China ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Methylene Blue ; Retrospective Studies ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

Axilla/pathology* ; Breast Neoplasms/pathology* ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intraoperative Period ; Lymph Nodes/pathology* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sentinel Lymph Node/surgery* ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy ; Touch

Sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) are the first station of lymph nodes that extend from the breast tumor to the axillary lymphatic drainage. The pathological status of these LNs can predict that of the entire axillary lymph node. Therefore, the accurate identification of SLNs is necessary for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) to replace axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). The quality of life and prognosis of breast cancer patients are related to proper surgical treatment after the precise identification of SLNs. Some of the SLN tracers that have been identified include radioisotope, nano-carbon, indocyanine green (ICG), and methylene blue (MB). However, these tracers have certain limitations, such as pigmentation, radiation dangers, and the requirement for costly detection equipment. Ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) have good specificity and sensitivity, and thus can compensate for some shortcomings of the mentioned tracers. This technique is also being applied to SLNB in patients with breast cancer, and can even provide an initial judgment on SLN status. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has the advantages of high distinguishability, simple operation, no radiation harm, low cost, and accurate localization; therefore, it is expected to replace the traditional biopsy methods. In addition, it can significantly enhance the accuracy of SLN localization and shorten the operation time.
Humans ; Female ; Sentinel Lymph Node/pathology* ; Breast Neoplasms/pathology* ; Quality of Life ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy/methods* ; Ultrasonography/methods* ; Lymph Nodes/surgery*

Cervical cancer is the most common gynecological malignant carcinoma in Chinese women, which seriously threatens women's health. Lymph node metastasis is the most important factor affecting the prognosis and adjuvant treatment of patients with early cervical cancer. Conventional systematic lymphadenectomy has always been a reliable method to detect lymph node metastasis. However, this procedure may affect the quality of life of patients because of high risks of complications. Recently, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has been researched aiming to assess the status of pelvic lymph node metastasis intraoperatively, avoid unnecessary lymphadenectomy and achieve the goal of individualized diagnosis and treatment. Exploring efficient tracing methods and pathological ultra-staging is the key to the clinical application of SLNB for cervical cancer, and understanding the latest relevant clinical research progress will help SLNB to be applied in the clinic as soon as possible to benefit patients with cervical cancer.
Female ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision/methods* ; Lymph Nodes/surgery* ; Lymphatic Metastasis/pathology* ; Neoplasm Staging ; Quality of Life ; Sentinel Lymph Node/surgery* ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy/methods* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/surgery*

The sentinel lymph node (SLN) is defined as the lymph node(s) first receiving lymphatic drainage from the site of primary tumor. The application of SLN navigation surgery has been widely confirmed in both melanoma and breast cancer. In recent years, the concept of SLN has gained high attention in gastrointestinal tumors. However, the validity and feasibility of the SLN concept remains controversial for esophageal cancer due to its special anatomical sites and lymphatic drainage pathways. Lymph node micrometastasis is an important prognostic factor in esophageal cancer patients without lymph node metastasis. Detection of micrometastases in SLN of esophageal cancer plays an important role in determining the treatment options. In this article, we make a brief discussion on the application of SLN biopsy in esophageal surgery and explain its clinical significance.
Esophageal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Neoplasm Micrometastasis ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

OBJECTIVETo examine the relationship between the dissected lymph-node number and the prognosis in D(2) gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

METHODSFrom January 1996 to January 2005, 457 patients with primary gastric cancer undergone gastrectomy with different extent of lymphadenectomy in our hospital were followed-up in term of prognostic benefit.

RESULTSIn lymph-node metastasis group, the 1-, 3-, 5-year survival rates were 82.4%, 49.0%, 33.4% with dissection of >20 nodes and 71.5%, 49.7%, 40.1% with dissection of 16-20 nodes. In the group without lymph-node metastasis, the 1-, 3-, 5-year survival rates were 98.2%, 92.7%, 84.7% with dissection of >20 nodes and 94.0%, 89.7%, 81.4% with dissection of 16-20 nodes. Whether or not it had lymph-node metastasis, the survival curve failed to show any significant difference with regard to the extent of lymph node dissection.

CONCLUSIONSAs to lymphadenectomy for gastric cancer, it is enough to excise the lymph node between 16 and 20. The number of excised lymph node should not be overemphasized unless it is metastasized.

Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; surgery ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; pathology ; Male ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of identification and preservation of arm lymphatics (DEPART) in axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for breast cancer to prevent arm lymphedema. Methods: A randomized controlled study method was used. Two hundred and sixty-five patients who underwent breast cancer surgery at the Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from November 2017 to June 2018 were included, and the patients were randomly divided into ALND+ DEPART group (132 patients) and standard ALND group (133 patients) by random number table method. In the ALND+ DEPART group, indocyanine green and methylene blue were injected as tracers before surgery, and the arm sentinel nodes was visualized by staged tracing during intraoperative dissection of axillary lymph nodes. Partial frozen sections were made of arm lymph nodes >1 cm in length and hard and suspicious of metastasis, and arm lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels were selectively preserved. Patients in the standard ALND group underwent standard ALND. Objective and subjective indexes of arm lymphedema were evaluated by 5-point circumference measurement and Norman questionnaire. Results: Among 132 breast cancer patients in the ALND+ DEPART group, 121 (91.7%) completed DEPART. There were no statistically significant differences in age, body mass index, pathological type, dissection number of axillary lymph node, N stage, TNM stage, molecular typing, and regional radiotherapy between the ALND+ DEPART and standard ALND groups (P>0.05). At a median follow-up of 24 months, assessment by the 5-point circumference measurement showed that the incidence rates of lymphedema in the ALND+ DEPART and standard ALND groups were 5.0% (6/121) and 15.8% (21/133), respectively, with statistically significant differences (P=0.005). Assessment by the Norman questionnaire showed that the incidence rates of lymphedema in the ALND+ DEPART and standard ALND groups were 5.8% (7/121) and 21.8% (29/133), respectively, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). No local regional recurrence was observed in either group during the follow-up period. Conclusion: For breast cancer patients with positive axillary lymph nodes, the administration of DEPART during ALND can reduce or avoid the occurrence of arm lymphedema without compromising oncology safety.
Arm/pathology* ; Axilla/pathology* ; Breast Neoplasms/pathology* ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision/methods* ; Lymph Nodes/surgery* ; Lymphatic Vessels/pathology* ; Lymphedema/surgery* ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy/adverse effects*

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the liability of sentinel node biopsy in the treatment of early stage oral tongue carcinoma with clinically negative neck.

METHODSEighteen patients with T1 or T2 oral tongue carcinoma were enrolled in the prospective study. Preoperative lymphoscintigraphy and intra-operative hand-held gamma probe techniques were used to detect the sentinel lymph nodes. The sentinel lymph node biopsies were sent to frozen section pathology and the results were compared with specimen of routine selective neck dissection (I ∼ III or I ∼ IV). The accuracy of cervical metastasis prediction was compared between sentinel node biopsy and tumor thickness.

RESULTSSentinel lymph nodes were identified in all 18 cases. The numbers of sentinel lymph nodes of level Ib, IIa and III were 6, 22 and 2, respectively. In this series, positive sentinel lymph nodes were revealed in 4 cases, which were also positive in the postoperative routine histology.In other cases, both sentinel lymph nodes and routine histology were negative. Both the sensitivity and specificity were 100%. Sentinel lymph node biopsy obviously improved the specificity of predicting cervical metastasis comparing with the tumor thickness. (100% vs. 36.4%).

CONCLUSIONSentinel node biopsy is effective and reliable in the treatment of early stage oral tongue cancer, and deserves clinical application.

Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; surgery ; Mouth Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Prospective Studies ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Tongue Neoplasms ; diagnosis