HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Stephens, A. D. Articles by Sugarbaker, P. H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Stephens, A. D. Articles by Sugarbaker, P. H.

False-Positive Lymph Nodes by Radioimmunoguided Surgery: Report of a Patient and Analysis of the Problem

The Cancer Institute and Department of Pathology, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C.

Correspondence: For correspondence or reprints contact: Paul H. Sugarbaker, MD, FACS, Medical Director, The Cancer Institute, Washington Hospital Center, 110 Irving Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20010.

ABSTRACT

Preoperative administration of radiolabeled monoclonal antibody allows radioimmunoguided surgery with hand-held intraoperative detection devices. From a theoretical perspective, this technology may offer more knowledgable patient management and more complete resection of intra-abdominal cancer. False-positive examinations may seriously jeopardize the widespread application of this apparatus. Our experience with a patient with false-positive lymph nodes following administration of ¹²⁵I-labeled B72.3 monoclonal antibody is reported. After careful histopathological analysis of five nodes thought to be false-positive for cystadenocarcinoma, one lymph node was found to have a minute nidus of cancer. The cause of false-positive radioimmunoguided tests and their implications for the clinical use of this tool is discussed. We interpreted our data to suggest that tumor antigen-monoclonal antibody complexes processed in reactive lymph nodes, anatomically draining the malignant tissue, may cause false-positive tests.