Open AccessSentinel lymph node biopsy in melanoma: Our experience over 8 years in a universitary hospital
Author(s) -
Luis Bañuelos-Andrío,
Gil Rodríguez-Caravaca,
José Luis LópezEstebaranz,
José Antonio Rueda-Orgaz,
Fernando Pinedo Moraleda
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
cirugía y cirujanos
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2444-0507
DOI - 10.1016/j.circen.2015.10.003
Subject(s) - medicine , sentinel lymph node , biopsy , melanoma , sentinel node , lymphadenectomy , lymph , lymph node , radiology , surgery , cancer , pathology , breast cancer , cancer research
BackgroundSince the introduction of sentinel lymph node biopsy, its use as a standard of care for patients with clinically node-negative cutaneous melanoma remains controversial. Our experience of sentinel lymph node biopsy for melanoma is presented and evaluated.Material and methodsA cohort study was conducted on 69 patients with a primary cutaneous melanoma and with no clinical evidence of metastasis, who had sentinel lymph node biopsy from October-2005 to December-2013. Sentinel lymph node biopsy was identified using preoperative lymphoscintigraphy and subsequent intraoperative detection with gamma probe.ResultsThe sentinel lymph node biopsy identification rate was 98.5%. The sentinel lymph node biopsy was positive for metastases in 23 patients (33.8%). Postoperative complications after sentinel lymph node biopsy were observed in 4.4% compared to 38% of complications in patients who had complete lymphadenectomy.ConclusionThe sentinel lymph node biopsy in melanoma offers useful information about the lymphatic dissemination of melanoma and allows an approximation to the regional staging, sparing the secondary effects of lymphadenectomy. More studies with larger number of patients and long term follow-up will be necessary to confirm the validity of sentinel lymph node biopsy in melanoma patients, and especially of lymphadenectomy in patients with positive sentinel lymph node biopsy