Left–right asymmetry in pelvic lymph nodes distribution: Is there a right-side prevalence?

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether pelvic lymph nodes have a left-right asymmetric distribution. STUDY DESIGN: The oncologic databases of two gynecologic academic departments were used to identify consecutive patients undergoing pelvic systematic lymphadenectomy as part of the treatment for a variety of gynecologic malignancies. All procedures were carried out in a standardized fashion. Lymph node counts were retrieved from pathological reports. RESULTS: Four hundred and twenty-eight women underwent pelvic lymphadenectomy during the study period. The median lymph node count was higher on the right side than on the left side [10 (0-33) versus 8 (0-29); P<0.0001]. A prevalence of right-sided nodes was found in 265 (61.9%) patients, while in 44 (10.3%) cases pelvic nodes were equally distributed on the two sides. The right-sided prevalence was significantly higher than the expected 50% in each type of malignancy and surgical technique subgroup. The right-sided prevalence was statistically significant even when the analysis was performed for different nodal groups [external iliac nodes: 5 (0-23) versus 4 (0-13), P=0.005; hypogastric and obturator nodes: 6 (0-17) versus 5 (0-19), P=0.04]. Moreover, nodal count was higher on the right than on the left in obese [10 (1-33) versus 8 (1-26), P=0.0002] and nonobese women [10 (0-32) versus 9 (0-29), P<0.0001]. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest the existence of a left-right asymmetry in pelvic lymph nodes distribution, with right-sided prevalence.     

Pattern of lymph node metastasis and the optimal extent of pelvic lymphadenectomy in FIGO stage IB cervical cancer

AIM: To evaluate the distribution pattern of lymph node metastasis and to determine the optimal extent of pelvic lymphadenectomy (LA) in FIGO stage IB cervical cancer. METHODS: The medical records of 187 patients with FIGO stage IB cervical cancer from March 1996 to December 2002 were reviewed retrospectively. The distribution pattern and risk factors of lymph node metastases were analyzed in 31 patients with lymph node metastases confirmed surgically. One hundred patients, who underwent type III hysterectomy with pelvic LA but did not receive any adjuvant treatment, were analyzed to evaluate whether the extent of LA affected the prognosis of FIGO stage IB cervical cancer. Type I LA included the external iliac nodes, hypogastric nodes, obturator nodes, and parametrial nodes. Type II LA included the pelvic nodes described in type I LA, the common iliac nodes, gluteal nodes, deep inguinal nodes and sometimes the presacral nodes. RESULTS: Solitary lymph node metastasis confined to one node group was seen in the obturator, external iliac or hypogastric lymph nodes. All patients with lymph node metastases at multiple sites had metastasis in at least one of these lymph-node groups. There was no significant difference in disease-free survival and overall survival in patients without pathologic high-risk factors according to the type of pelvic LA. CONCLUSION: The extent of LA should be adjusted to reduce complications and not to affect adversely the prognosis of FIGO stage IB cervical cancer patients without pathologic high-risk factors.     

Pelvic lymph node dissection in early ovarian cancer: success of retrieval of lymph nodes by individual lymph node groups in respect to pelvic laterality

Objective

To evaluate the differences in number of harvested retroperitoneal pelvic lymph nodes by specific lymph node regions in respect to pelvic laterality.

Study design

We extracted cases of early ovarian cancer (EOC) with lymphadenectomy from the medical database which were treated at our institution in the period between 1994 and 2008. Recommendations of FIGO and EGSOC (European Guidelines for Staging in Ovarian Cancer) for staging of ovarian malignancies were followed. Stage of the disease was established on the basis of intra-abdominal condition which we found during surgery and histopathologic status of retroperitoneal lymph nodes (LN). For each case and every LN group, we subtracted the number of dissected lymph nodes on the left side from the number of dissected lymph nodes on the right side of the pelvis. The result would represent the difference between number of removed LN on each side of the pelvis for specific LN group. A negative difference means that a greater number of LN was extracted from the left side and a positive difference that the greater number of LN was extracted from the right side of the pelvis. We used Wilcoxon signed-rank test for statistical analysis of differences.

Results

48 cases with EOC underwent lymphadenectomy. In three cases, metastatic retroperitoneal pelvic lymph nodes were found. There were 79.1%, 50.0%, 45.8%, 93.8%, 52.1%, 60.4% and 70.8% of cases with left-right difference in number of removed lymph nodes in external iliac region, common iliac region, presacralic, above obturator nerve, under obturator nerve, lateral from the external ilac vessels and lateral from the common iliac vessels nodal group, respectively. The mean differences between left and right groups were in the range from 2 to 4 lymph nodes. There was no identifiable bias toward either side of the pelvis for any of the analyzed lymph node groups.

Conclusion

There is a right and left prevalence of retrieved LN by individual LN regions in the pelvis that could be influenced by asymmetry in right-left pelvic LN distribution. However, we did not find any evidence that the observed imbalance is, on average, directed toward either side of the pelvis.     

Chemotherapy for Lymphatic Metastatic Gynecologic Cancer via Pelvic Retroperitoneal Cannulation: A Preliminary Report

The feasibility of chemotherapy for lymphatic metastatic gynecologic cancer via pelvic retroperitoneal cannulation was preliminarily studied. In 25 patients with gynecologic cancer 5-FU was safely allocated by cannulation to the pelvic retroperitoneal space including the external iliac, internal iliac, obturator, and deep inguinal and most of the common iliac lymph nodes. The 5-FU concentration in the lymph nodes on the injection side was 2–10 times that on the control side (P< 0.01). In 4 patients with nodal metastasis on the injection side, most cancer cells showed degeneration and necrosis. No severe complications or adverse effects were observed. The results suggested that the cannulation be used to treat the lymphatic metastasis of gynecologic cancer.     

盆腔腹膜外化疗法用于妇科恶性肿瘤淋巴系转移的初步研究

通过动物实验及临床研究，对经盆腔腹膜外间隙穿刺插管进行化疗的可行性及其对妇科恶性肿瘤淋巴系转移的疗效进行探讨。动物实验结果表明，于盆腔腹膜外间隙注入５－氟脲嘧啶（５－ＦＵ）及伊索显（Ｉｓｏｖｉｓｔ－３００）混合剂后，注药部位局部细胞形态无改变，仅有少量淋巴细胞浸润；临床观察结果表明，（１）注药后Ｘ线摄片，可见髂外、髂内、闭孔、腹股沟深及大部分髂总淋巴结所在位置均包括在药物分布范围之内，重复给药，药物分布范围不变；（２）注药后４８小时内，注药侧淋巴结内、ＦＵ浓度高于对照侧，差异有极显著性（Ｐ＜０．０１）。腹主动脉旁淋巴结内５－ＦＵ浓度介于注药侧与对照侧淋巴结内浓度之间；（３）对己有肿瘤细胞转移的淋巴结，注药后显微镜下可见淋巴结内转移的癌细胞有明显变性、坏死；（４）本组患者未发生并发症及明显的全身毒副作用，本研究结果提示，经盆腔腹膜外间隙化疗是一种简便、安全、效果可靠的化疗方法。     

盆腔腹膜外化疗法重复给药的临床研究

目的：探讨盆腔腹膜外化疗法重复给药用于临床治疗肿瘤淋巴系转移的可行性。方法：选２５只家犬和２４例妇科恶性肿瘤患者，经空腹膜餐间隙穿刺插管注入５－氟尿嘧啶（５－ＦＵ）、噻替派或氨甲喋呤采用高效液相色谱和病理检查的方法，观察药物分布内淋巴结及其周围组织的药物２和病理改变。结果：动物实验结果表明，重复给药对给药区血管、输尿管及其它正常组织未见毒性作用；淋巴结内５－ＦＵ浓度是周围结缔组织的７－９倍，重复给     

Mesorectal lymph node involvement and prognostic implications at total pelvic exenteration for gynecologic malignancies

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence and prognostic implications of positive mesorectal lymph nodes in patients undergoing total pelvic exenteration for recurrent gynecologic malignancies. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of all patients who had undergone total pelvic exenteration for a gynecologic malignancy between July 1992 and December 2003. Patient charts were reviewed for information regarding demographics, site of cancer, histology, pathology report, and time to recurrence. RESULTS: Fifty-eight women had undergone total pelvic exenteration for recurrent gynecologic malignancies during the study period and 57 were available for analysis. Primary cancer site was as follows: cervix, 37 (65%); vagina, 8 (14%); vulva, 5 (9%); and uterine corpus, 7 (12%). In 30 patients (53%), the mesorectal lymph node status was pathologically evaluated. Of these 30 patients, 3 (10%) had positive mesorectal lymph nodes at the time of total pelvic exenteration. All 3 patients had rectal wall involvement (rectal submucosa, 2; rectal mucosa, 1), and all 3 patients recurred within 4 months of pelvic exenteration. The median time to recurrence after surgery was 2.4 months in those patients with positive mesorectal lymph nodes compared with 7.3 months in those with negative mesorectal lymph nodes (P = 0.005). When individually adjusted for other prognostic variables, such as margin status, tumor grade, lymphovascular space involvement, primary cancer site, and histologic type, a finding of positive mesorectal lymph nodes was associated with a shorter time to recurrence of disease (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Mesorectal lymph node involvement is a common finding at total pelvic exenteration, particularly in patients with rectal wall involvement. Patients with positive mesorectal lymph nodes appear to have a worse outcome with a shorter time to recurrence of disease.     

Pelvic and aortic lymph node metastasis in epithelial ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE: The appropriate management of advanced ovarian cancer has been controversial in recent years. There are no adequate data about the importance of lymphadenectomy and the appropriate sites for lymph node assessment. We sought to evaluate the distribution, size, and number of pelvic and aortic lymph node metastases in patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of 116 patients with stage IIIC or IV epithelial ovarian carcinoma treated at Mayo Clinic who underwent systematic bilateral pelvic and aortic lymphadenectomy between 1996 and 2000. RESULTS: Eighty-six (78%) of 110 patients who underwent pelvic lymphadenectomy were found to have nodal metastases in 422 (16%) of 2705 pelvic nodes that were removed. Eighty-four (84%) of 100 patients had documented aortic lymph node metastases in 456 (35%) of 1313 aortic nodes that were removed. Fifty-five (59%) of 94 patients had bilateral metastatic pelvic and aortic lymph nodes and bilateral aortic lymphadenectomy was conducted in 53 (72%) of 74 patients. The most representative group for detection of nodal metastases was the aortic group (83%) followed by the external iliac group (59%) and the obturator nodes (53%). There was no significant difference between the mean size of positive (1.8 cm) and negative nodes (1.6 cm). Thirty-seven patients had unilateral tumor, and 1 patient (7%) had contralateral node metastasis. CONCLUSION: The incidence of positive nodes bilaterally and positive high aortic nodes indicates the need for bilateral pelvic and aortic node dissection (extending above the inferior mesenteric artery) in all patients regardless of laterality of the primary tumor.     

Sentinel lymphatic mapping among women with early-stage cervical cancer: A systematic review

The presence of pelvic lymph node metastases is without doubt the most significant prognostic factor that determines recurrences and survival of women with early-stage cervical cancer. To avoid the underdiagnosis of lymph node metastasis, pelvic lymphadenectomy procedure is routinely performed with radical hysterectomy procedure. However, the pelvic lymphadenectomy procedure may not be necessary in most of these women due to the relatively low incidence of pelvic lymph node metastasis. The removal of large numbers of pelvic lymph nodes could also render non-metastatic irreversible damages for these women, including vessel, nerve, or ureteral injuries; formation of lymphocysts; and lymphedema. Over the past decades, the concept of sentinel lymph node biopsy has emerged as a popular and widespread surgical technique for the evaluation of the pelvic lymph node status in gynecologic malignancies. The histological status of sentinel lymph node should be representative for all other lymph nodes in the regional drainage area. If metastasis is non-existent in the sentinel lymph node, the likelihood of metastatic spread in the remaining regional lymph nodes is very low. Further lymphadenectomy is therefore not necessary for a patient with negative sentinel lymph nodes. Since the uterine cervix has several lymphatic drainage pathways, it is a challenging task to assess the distribution pattern of sentinel lymph nodes in women with early-stage cervical cancer. This review article will adapt the methodology proposed in these studies to systematically review sentinel lymphatic mapping among women with early-stage cervical cancer.     

妇科恶性肿瘤淋巴结转移的腹膜后与腹腔化学治疗的比较

目的 比较妇科恶性肿瘤患者淋巴结转移的腹膜后化学治疗（化疗）和腹腔化疗的疗效,并进一步评价腹膜后化疗。方法 选择６２例妇科恶性肿瘤患者,手术前分别随机进行腹膜后化疗４３例、腹腔化疗重复给药１１例和腹腔化疗单次注药（５氟嘧啶,５－ＦＵ）８例,采用高效液相色谱侧定法（ＨＰＬＣ）检测淋巴结内－５ＦＵ的浓度。其中１６例腹膜后化疗重复给药患者,比较注药侧与未注药侧淋巴结内５－ＦＵ的浓度。选择腹膜后化疗患者６     

Is there a place for a less extensive radical surgery in locally advanced cervical cancer patients?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the association among the pathological status of different lymph node groups and parametrium in a single institutional population of 103 locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) cases who underwent surgery after a neoadjuvant approach. A series of 29 early cervical cancer patients was also included in the analysis. METHODS: Eighty-two LACC patients with documented clinical response to neoadjuvant treatment and 29 early stage cases underwent radical surgery. The operative technique consisted of a type II-V radical hysterectomy and systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy (median number of lymph nodes removed 46; range 5-140). Sixty-four cases were submitted to para-aortic lymphadenectomy up to the level of the inferior mesenteric artery (median number of lymph nodes removed 13; range 1-37). RESULTS: Two subgroups of lymph nodes were defined: lower pelvic lymph nodes (LPN), including obturator and external iliac nodes, and upper pelvic nodes (UPN) including common iliac, presacral, and internal iliac nodes. Metastatic UPN involvement showed a strict association with LPN involvement: in LACC cases, 6 of 7 (86%) positive UPN cases had tumor disease at the LPN level. The single positive UPN case with negative LPN was intraoperatively identified by palpation and frozen section. Similarly, in early cervical cancer patients, 100% of positive UPN cases showed metastatic involvement at the LPN level. Sixty-three of 70 (90%) LACC patients with negative histological parametrium had negative LPN. Among 12 cases with metastatic involvement of parametrium, 5 cases (41.7%) had positive LPN. In early stage cervical cancer, 23 of 27 (85%) cases with negative parametrium showed no lymph nodal involvement. Intraoperative palpation of the parametrium could identify all cases with parametrial involvement not predicted by LPN status. CONCLUSIONS: These data offer the basis for tailoring the extent of radical surgery in LACC patients, through the selection of those lymph node stations likely to provide reliable information on the pathological status of UPN and parametrium.     

Pelvic lymph node metastasis of uterine cervical cancer

The state of pelvic lymph node metastasis was observed in 627 cases of Okabayashi's radical hysterectomy performed from 1950 to 1984 of which 589 cases with a known 5-year survival rate were examined according to their relationship to prognosis. The incidence of lymph node metastasis was 29.7%, becoming progressively higher with succeeding clinical stages. The metastasis rates according to site were 6.9% hypogastric nodes, 4.9% obturator nodes, 4.4% iliac nodes, and 25.0% parametrial nodes. Among the factors considered in the postoperative classification, lymph node metastasis demonstrated high values in cervical infiltration cancer, positive parametrial infiltration, positive vaginal invasion, and infiltration into the uterine body and L type of CPL classification. The 5-year survival rate was 83.0% in negative cases of pelvic lymph node metastasis, while in positive cases, it was as poor as 45.8%. Considering the relationship of various factors, it is shown that the presence of lymph node metastasis has a great effect on prognosis.     

Lymph node pathway in the spread of endometrial carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the sentinel nodes of endometrial carcinoma, the spread pathway was clarified. The correlation between lymph node spread and other clinicopathological variables was also analyzed. METHODS: Dissected lymph node samples in 342 patients who underwent pelvic and selective paraaortic lymphadenectomy were reviewed. Pelvic and paraaortic node (PLN and PAN) status was compared with clinicopathological parameters. RESULTS: Lymph node metastasis was demonstrated in 52 patients, including 46 cases with PLN metastasis and six patients with independent PAN metastasis. The metastatic sites were most frequent in the obturator and internal iliac nodes. Eleven of 49 patients who underwent PAN dissection were positive for metastasis. Sixteen of 23 cases with parametrial metastasis also metastasized in the retroperitoneal lymph node. CONCLUSION: The lymph node spread pathway in endometrial carcinoma consists of a major route via the obturator node or internal iliac node with or without parametrial involvement, and rarely a direct PAN pathway.     

Benign müllerian inclusions in pelvic and paraaortic lymph nodes

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to determine the incidence and distribution of the location of benign müllerian inclusions in pelvic and paraaortic lymph nodes. METHODS: A total of 114 patients operated on for gynecologic malignancy between 1995 and 1998 underwent surgery including systematic pelvic (n = 114) or pelvic and paraaortic (n = 70) lymphadenectomy. The lymph node material was labeled according to anatomic origin, immediately fixed en bloc, embedded in paraffin, and processed as step-serial sections at intervals of 400 microm. The 5-microm-thick sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. RESULTS: Overall, 26 of 114 patients (23%) had benign müllerian inclusions. Inclusions were most common in the paraarotic (34%), external iliac (12%), and common iliac (9%) regions (P > 0.05). Multiple anatomic sites were involved in 14 of 26 patients (54%). Two women had paraaortic inclusions and negative pelvic nodes. Benign müllerian inclusions were seen in 13 of 51 patients (24%) with ovarian carcinoma, 11 of 47 (23%) with cervical carcinoma, 1 of 9 (11%) with endometrial carcinoma, and 1 of 2 with ovarian serous borderline tumor, (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Benign müllerian inclusions occur in approximately one-fifth of patients with gynecologic malignancies in all anatomic regions of pelvic and paraaortic lymph nodes. They must be distinguished from metastatic deposits.     

卵巢癌腹主动脉旁淋巴结清除术与生存率的关系

目的:探讨上皮性卵巢癌患者行腹主动脉旁淋巴结清除术与其生存预后的关系。方法:回顾分析卵巢癌肿瘤细胞减灭术的80例患者,将其中行腹主动脉旁淋巴结(PAN)+盆腔淋巴结(PLN)清除术分为A组(30例),仅行PLN清除术者分为B组(50例),分析PAN清除与患者生存预后的相关性。结果:行卵巢肿瘤细胞减灭术的80例患者中,32例(40.0%)发生淋巴结转移。A组中19例发生淋巴结转移,其中仅PAN阳性7例,仅PLN阳性3例,PAN和PLN均阳性9例;B组中13例发生PLN转移。A与B组患者的淋巴结转移与临床分期、肿瘤细胞分化程度和组织学类型显著相关(P0.05)。A组中淋巴结转移部位以PAN最多16例,其余依次为髂内、闭孔、髂总、腹股沟及髂外淋巴结。A组患者的3年、5年生存率分别为77.9%和46.7%,均高于B组(69.0%和39.2%),但无显著差异(P0.05)。A与B组患者中转移至PLN者的3年生存率分别是68.5%和41.4%,5年生存率是49.7%和26.4%,两组比较差异显著(P=0.044)。A组患者中淋巴结阳性与阴性患者3年生存率分别为43.5%和72.7%,5年生存率是27.2%和58.5%,差异显著(P=0.048)。Cox模型单因素分析提示,淋巴结状态对患者的生存率有影响(P0.01),而且是死亡风险因素。结论:腹主动脉旁淋巴结的清除对改善卵巢癌患者预后起着重要作用。     

子宫颈癌盆腔淋巴结转移相关因素分析

目的探讨子宫颈癌盆腔淋巴结转移的分布规律及相关高危因素,为指导宫颈癌的个体化治疗提供依据。方法对471例行根治性手术的ⅠA～ⅡB期宫颈癌患者的临床病理资料进行回顾性分析,对淋巴结转移的高危因素采用卡方检验或多元Logistic回归分析。结果 471例宫颈癌患者盆腔淋巴结转移率为19.10%,其中以闭孔淋巴结转移率最高。临床分期、SCCAg>4μg/L、深肌层浸润、宫旁浸润(P<0.05)是影响宫颈癌淋巴结转移的独立危险因素。结论在宫颈癌各组淋巴结转移中,闭孔淋巴结是最易受累的部位。结合临床病理因素,研究影响宫颈癌患者淋巴结转移的相关高危因素,可以为其个体化治疗提供依据。     

Lymph node metastasis and prognosis of endometrial carcinoma.

Recently there has been much discussion about the choice of surgical treatment for carcinoma of the body of the uterus. From the study of the literature, it is concluded that there is a high incidence of lymphatic metastases in cases with cervical involvement, so Wertheim's hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy has been carried out for such cases. Deep myometrial infiltration and involvement of lymphatic vessels within myometrium are also very important factors for pelvic lymph node involvement, but it is quite impossible to examine these two factors preoperatively. As to the sites of spread, paraaortic lymph node involvement seems not so important as was said in the literature. In the case with cervical involvement, the external iliac lymph node is the most often affected, just as in the case of cervical carcinoma. Without cervical involvement, the obturator lymph node and hypogastric lymph node seem to be a primary site for lymphatic spread. The prognosis is poor in patients with involvement of the pelvic lymph node. Radical hysterectomy should be carried out as the general condition permits.     

Endometrioid carcinoma of the ovary presenting with an enlarged inguinal lymph node without evidence of abdominal carcinomatosis.

It is generally recognized that ovarian cancer tends to remain intraabdominal even in advanced cases and that dissemination is usually by invasion of adjacent viscera, diffuse intraperitoneal implantation, and metastatic involvement of aortic and pelvic lymph nodes. Primary ovarian lymphatic drainage occurs via the infundibulopelvic ligament to the paraaortic nodes. The presence of an ovarian tumor extending into adjacent pelvic viscera may allow direct lymphatic continuity with inguinal, external, and common iliac lymph nodes. In the absence of such extension it is traditionally believed that the drainage via the infundibulopelvics is so important that only with its blockage, presumably by tumor emboli, can retrograde drainage to pelvic and inguinal nodes occur. We report a case of a patient presenting with a large metastatic inguinal lymph node from a primary epithelial ovarian cancer without evidence of disseminated intraabdominal disease or gross evidence of pelvic or paraaortic lymph node involvement.     

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in the management of early-stage cervical carcinoma

Objectives

We aimed to determine the sentinel lymph node detection rates, accuracy in predicting the status of lymph node metastasis, and if pathologic ultrastaging improves the detection of micrometastases and isolated tumor cells at the time of primary surgery for cervical cancer.

Methods

A prospective, non-randomized study of women with early-stage (FIGO stage IA1 with lymphovascular space involvement — IIA) cervical carcinoma was conducted from June 2003 to August 2009. All patients underwent an intraoperative intracervical blue dye injection. Patients who underwent a preoperative lymphoscintigraphy received a 99 m Tc sulfur colloid injection in addition. All patients underwent sentinel lymph node (SLN) identification followed by a complete pelvic node and parametrial dissection. SLN were evaluated using our institutional protocol that included pathologic ultrastaging.

Results

SLN mapping was successful in 77 (95%) of 81 patients. A total of 316 SLN were identified, with a median of 3 SLN per patient (range, 0-10 SLN). The majority (85%) of SLN were located at three main sites: the external iliac (35%); internal iliac (30%); and obturator (20%). Positive lymph nodes (LN) were identified in 26 (32%) patients, including 21 patients with positive SLN. Fifteen of 21 patients (71%) had SLN metastasis detected on routine processing. SLN ultrastaging detected metastasis in an additional 6/21 patients (29%). Two patients had grossly positive LN at exploration, and mapping was abandoned. Three of 26 (12%) patients had successful SLN mapping; however, the SLN failed to identify the metastatic LN. Of these 3 false negative cases, 2 patients had a metastatic parametrial node as the only positive LN with multiple negative pelvic nodes including negative SLN. One patient with stage IA1 disease and lymphovascular invasion had unilateral SLN mapping and a metastatic common iliac LN identified on completion lymphadenectomy of the contralateral side that did not map. The 4 (5%) patients with unsuccessful mapping included 1 who had grossly positive nodes identified at the time of laparotomy; the remaining 3 occurred during each surgeon's initial SLN mapping learning phase.

Conclusion

SLN mapping in early-stage cervical carcinoma yields high detection rates. Ultrastaging improves micrometastasis detection. Parametrectomy and side-specific lymphadenectomy (in cases of failed mapping) remain important components of the surgical management of selected cases.     

Anatomical and pathological study of retroperitoneal nodes in endometrial cancer

Benedetti-Panici P, Maneschi F, Cutillo G, D'Andrea G, Manci N, Rabitti C, Scambia G, Mancuso S. Anatomical and pathological study of retroperitoneal nodes in endometrial cancer. Int J Gynecol Cancer 1998; 8 : 322–327.
To assess the patterns of lymphatic spread in endometrial carcinoma, data from 91 endometrial cancer patients (surgical FIGO stage I: 59; II: 12; III–IV: 20) who underwent systematic pelvic and aortic lymphadenectomy were analyzed. The median number of nodes removed was 27 aortic (range 15–57) and 31 pelvic (range 20–68) nodes. Positive nodes were found in 16 patients (18%), seven having pelvic, one aortic, and eight both pelvic and aortic metastasis. The median number of positive nodes was three (range 1–29) aortic and two (range 1–18) pelvic nodes. Isolated pelvic node metastasis was observed in seven patients and aortic metastasis in one patient.
Pre-paracaval, pre-paraortic and intercavoaortic, with superficial obturator, external iliac and common iliac were the node groups most frequently involved. These nodes may be considered primarily invaded by the tumor. The higher prevalence of pelvic with respect to aortic metastasis, and the low risk of isolated aortic spread, suggest that endometrial cancer spreads preferentially to the pelvic area. Multivariate analysis showed that depth of myoinvasion and adnexal metastasis were independent factors predicting the risk of lymphatic spread. The risk of aortic spread was also predicted by the pelvic node status. These data may be useful for tailoring lymphadenectomy.