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Sentinel lymph node biopsy in cN0 squamous cell carcinoma of the lip: A retrospective study
Author(s) -
Sollamo Erik Mikael Jan,
Ilmonen Suvi Kristiina,
Virolainen Maria Susanna,
Suominen Sinikka Hilkka Helena
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.24230
Subject(s) - medicine , sentinel lymph node , occult , biopsy , sentinel node , local anesthesia , radiology , retrospective cohort study , surgery , basal cell , sedation , cancer , pathology , breast cancer , alternative medicine
Background The purpose of this study was to assess the use of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in clinically lymph node–negative (cN0) squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lip deemed high risk for occult nodal metastasis. Methods Twenty‐six patients with cT1 to T2 cN0 with SCC of the lip underwent SLNB at a tertiary referral center between January 2001 and March 2012. Initial staging methods were clinical examination only (65.4%), ultrasound (23.1%), or CT (11.5%). Operations were performed with the patients under local anesthesia with sedation (50%) or general anesthesia (50%). Results The mean follow‐up time was 53 months. Three patients (11.5%) had a positive sentinel node and were upstaged. One SLNB‐related complication was observed. Regional recurrence occurred in 2 patients (7.7%). The relationship between regional status and both tumor diameter and tumor thickness was statistically significant ( p < .05). Conclusion SLNB can be a viable staging technique in SCC of the lip. Tumor diameter of ≥ 20 mm and increasing tumor thickness seem to delineate higher risk for regional disease in our study. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38 : E1375–E1380, 2016