Skip to main content
Log in

The first international conference on sentinel node biopsy in mucosal head and neck cancer and adoption of a multicenter trial protocol

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) is a new technique in staging the clinically N0 neck. On June 25 and 26, 2001, the First International Conference on Sentinel Node Biopsy in Mucosal Head and Neck Cancer took place in Glasgow, United Kingdom.

Methods

Twenty-two centers contributed results on the use of SNB as a staging tool in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The pathology of the sentinel node was compared with that of the pathologic neck specimen.

Results

Three hundred sixteen clinically N0 necks were included. Sentinel nodes were identified in 301 necks (95%). Of these 301 necks, 76 necks were staged positive with SNB, and 225 were staged negative. The overall sensitivity of the procedure was 90%. Centers who had performed ≦10 cases had a lower sensitivity (57%), discovering only 4 of 7 metastatic nodes, in comparison with 72 of 77 metastatic nodes discovered forcenters that had performed >10 cases (sensitivity, 94%).

Conclusions

The cumulative results of all those who contributed to the first international conference confirm that there is a role for SNB for staging the clinically N0 neck, and it has a similar sensivity to that of a staging neck dissection.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Haddadin KJ, Soutar DS, Oliver RJ, Webster MH, Robertson AG, MacDonald DG. Improved survival for patients with clinically T1/T2, NO tongue tumors undergoing a prophylactic neck dissection.Head Neck 1999;21:517–25.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Morton DL, Wen DR, Wong JH, et al. Technical details of intraoperative lymphatic mapping for early stage melanoma.Arch Surg 1992;127:392–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Krag DN, Weaver DL, Alex JC, Fairbank JT. Surgical resection and radiolocalization of the sentinel lymph node in breast cancer using a gamma probe.Surg Oncol 1993;2:335–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Gershenwald JE, Tseng CH, Thompson W, et al. Improved sentinel lymph node localization in patients with primary melanoma with the use of radiolabelled colloid.Surgery 1998;124:203–10.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Albertini JJ, Cruse CW, Rapaport D, et al. Intraoperative radiolymphoscintigraphy improves sentinel lymph node identification for patients with melanoma.Ann Surg 1996;223:217–24.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Krag DN, Meijer SJ, Weaver DL, et al. Minimals-access surgery for staging of malignant melanoma.Arch Surg 1995;130:654–8.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Alex JC, Krag DN. The gamma-probe-guided resection of radiolabeled primary lymph nodes.Surg Oncol Clin North Am 1996;5:313–41.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Pitman KT, Johnson JT, Edington H, et al. Lymphatic mapping with isosulfan blue dye in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1998;124:790–3.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Koch WM, Choti MA, Civelek AC, Eisele DW, Saunders JR. Gamma probe-directed biopsy of the sentinel node in oral squamous cell carcinoma.Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1998; 124:455–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Shoaib T, Soutar DS, Prosser JE, et al. A suggested method for sentinel node biopsy in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.Head Neck 1999;21:728–33.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Werner JA, Dunne AA, Brandt D, et al. Studies on significance of sentinel lymphadenectomy in pharyngeal and larynged carcinoma.Laryngorhinootologie 1999;78:663–70.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Alex JC, Sasaki CT, Krag DN, Wenig B, Pyle PB. Sentinel lymph node radiolocalization in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.Laryngoscope 2000;110:198–203.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Chiesa F, Mauri S, Grana C, et al. Is there a role for sentinel node biopsy in early N0 tongue tumors?Surgery 2000;128:16–21.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Zitsch RP III, Todd DW, Renner GJ, Singh A. Intraoperative radiolymphoscintigraphy for detection of occult nodal metastasis in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2000;122:662–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Shoaib T, Soutar DS, MacDonald DG, et al. The accuracy of head and neck cancer sentinel node biopsy in the clinically N0 neck.Cancer 2001;91:2077–83.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Gershenwald JE, Colome MI, Lee JE, et al. Patterns of recurrence following a negative sentinel lymph node biopsy in 243 patients with stage I or II melanoma.J Clin Oncol 1998;16:2253–60.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Stern WB, Silver CE, Zeifer BA, Persky, MS, Heller KS. Computed tomography of the clinically negative neck.Head Neck 1990;12:109–13.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Friedman M, Mafee MF, Pacella BL Jr, Strorigl TL, Dew LL, Toriumi DM. Rationale for elective neck dissection in 1990.Laryngoscope 1990;100:54–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Moreau P, Goffart Y, Collignon J. Computed tomography of metastatic cervical lymph nodes. A clinical, computed tomographic, pathologic correlative study.Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1990;116:1190–3.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. van den Brekel MW, Castelijns JA, Stel HV, Golding RP, Meyer CJ, Snow GB. Modern imaging techniques and ultrasound-guided aspiration cytology for the assessment of neck node metastases: a prospective comparative study.Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 1993; 250:11–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Righi PD, Kopecky KK, Caldemeyer KS, Ball VA, Weisberger EC, Radpour S. Comparison of ultrasound-fine needle aspiration and computed tomography in patients undergoing elective neck dissection.Head Neck 1997;19:604–10.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Takes RP, Knegt P, Manni JJ, et al. Regional metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: revised value of US with US-guided FNAB.Radiology 1996;198:819–23.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Nieuwenhuis EJ, Colnot DR, Pijpers HJ, et al. Lymphoscintigraphy and ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology of sentinel lymph nodes in head and neck cancer patients.Recent Results Cancer Res 2000;157:206–17.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Kau RJ, Alexiou C, Laubenbacher C, Werner M, Schwaiger M, Arnold W. Lymph node detection of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas by positron emission tomography with fluorodeoxyglucose F 18 in a routine clinical setting.Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1999;125:1322–8.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Stokkel MP, ten Broek FW, Hordijk GJ, Koole R, van Rijk PP. Preoperative evaluation of patients with primary head and neck cancer using dual-head18fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography.Ann Surg 2000;231:229–34.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. L. Ross MRCSEd.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ross, G.L., Shoaib, T., Soutar, D.S. et al. The first international conference on sentinel node biopsy in mucosal head and neck cancer and adoption of a multicenter trial protocol. Annals of Surgical Oncology 9, 406–410 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02573877

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02573877

Key Words

Navigation