Cost-effectiveness of sentinel lymph node biopsy vs inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy in women with vulval cancer

Background:

This study examines the cost-effectiveness of sentinel lymph node biopsy, a potentially less morbid procedure, compared with inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy (IFL) among women with stage I and stage II vulval squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods:

A model-based economic evaluation was undertaken based on clinical evidence from a systematic review of published sources. A decision tree model was developed with the structure being informed by clinical input, taking the perspective of the health-care provider.

Results:

For overall survival for 2 years, IFL was found to be the most cost-effective option and dominated all other strategies, being the least costly and most effective. For morbidity-free related outcomes for 2 years, sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy with 99mTc and blue dye and haematoxylin & eosin (H&E) histopathology, with ultrastaging and immunohistochemistry reserved for those that test negative following H&E is likely to be the most effective approach.

Conclusion:

SLN biopsy using 99mTc and blue dye with ultrastaging may be considered the most cost-effective strategy based on the outcome of survival free of morbidity for 2 years. The findings here also indicate that using blue dye and H&E for the identification of the SLN and the identification of metastasis, respectively, are not sensitive enough to be used on their own.     

Sentinel node biopsy is reliable in early-stage cervical cancer but not in locally advanced disease.

BACKGROUND: Sentinel lymph node (SN) biopsy based on dual labeling with blue dye and radiocolloid can reliably determine lymph node status in early-stage cervical cancer, but few data are available on its accuracy in more advanced disease. We examined the influence of tumor stage on the accuracy of SN biopsy in patients with cervical cancer. METHODS: Between July 2001 and June 2004, 33 patients (mean age 52 years) with early-stage or locally advanced cervical cancer underwent laparoscopic SN biopsy based on dual labeling with patent blue and radiocolloid. Patients with early-stage cervical cancer (stages IA and IB1, 23 patients) underwent complete laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy after the SN procedure. Patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (stage IB2, IIA or IIB, 10 patients) underwent laparoscopic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy after SN biopsy and prior neoadjuvant concomitant chemoradiotherapy. The SN identification rates and false-negative rates of patients with early-stage and locally advanced disease were compared. RESULTS: The mean numbers of SNs identified per patient with early-stage and locally advanced cervical cancer were 2.3 (range 0-4) and 1.9 (range 0-4), respectively. SNs were identified in 86.9% (20/23) of patients with early-stage disease and in 80% (8/10) of patients with locally advanced disease. When analyzed according to the side of dissection, the identification rate was lower, especially in the patients with locally advanced disease (55% compared with 67.4%). The false-negative rate per patient was zero in early-stage disease and 20% (1/5) in locally advanced disease (no significant difference). When the side of dissection was taken into account, the false-negative rate improved to 42.9% (3/7) in patients with locally advanced disease and remained at zero in early-stage disease (P=0.038). Isolated blue dye was taken up in 53.3% of SNs in patients with locally advanced disease, compared with only 6.4% in patients with early-stage disease. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the SN biopsy technique with dual labeling is less accurate in locally advanced cervical cancer than in early-stage cervical cancer.     

Role of dynamic sentinel node biopsy in penile cancer: our experience

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We report our initial experience with a relatively new technique, the so-called "dynamic sentinel node biopsy", in patients with penile cancer. METHODS: From January 2001 to February 2003, 17 consecutive patients with bilateral, clinically node negative penile cancer were enrolled. Dynamic sentinel node biopsy was followed by local excision of the primary lesion or penile amputation during the same session. Standard inguinal node dissection was performed 4 weeks after the first operation in all the patients. RESULTS: Pre-operative lymphoscintigraphy revealed no sentinel nodes in 1, unilateral sentinel nodes in 5, and bilateral in 11 patients. Metastases were noted in 5 out of 16 patients (31.25%), bilaterally in 3 of them. Among the five patients with sentinel node metastasis, this was the only tumor positive lymph node in one patient. In all cases with negative dynamic sentinel node biopsy, no metastatic nodes were found at the following inguinal node dissection. Therefore, the technique showed a 100% negative predictive value and an 88% sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that dynamic sentinel node biopsy is a minimally invasive procedure that can be easily performed. The goal is to offer the possibility of less extensive surgery for selected low risk patients.     

Prognosis of breast cancer patients treated with sentinel node biopsy in Japan

BACKGROUND: Sentinel node biopsy predicts accurate pathological nodal staging. The survival of node-negative breast cancer patients should be evaluated between the patients treated with sentinel node biopsy alone and those treated with axillary lymph node dissection. METHODS: Ninety-seven patients with negative axillary nodes underwent sentinel node biopsy immediately followed by axillary lymph node dissection between January 1998 and June 1999 (the ALND group). Since then, if sentinel lymph nodes were negative on the frozen-section diagnosis, 112 patients underwent sentinel node biopsy alone without axillary lymph node dissection between July 1999 and December 2000 (the SNB group). We retrospectively observed the outcome of the two study groups. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 52 months in all patients. Relapse-free survival rates at 3 years in the ALND and SNB groups were 94% and 93%, respectively. Five of the 112 patients in the SNB group had overt axillary metastases. Three of them with axillary metastases alone were treated with delayed axillary lymph node dissection. These three patients have been free of other events for 3 years after local salvage treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Sentinel node biopsy will emerge as a standard method to diagnose axillary nodal staging for clinically node-negative breast cancer patients.     

Histopathological validation of the sentinel node concept in cervical cancer.

BACKGROUND: The sentinel node (SN) is defined as the first node in the lymphatic system that drains a tumor site. If the SN is not metastatic, then all other nodes should also be disease-free. We used serial sections and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining to examine both sentinel and non-sentinel nodes (non-SNs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 2001 to March 2003, 18 patients (median age, 48 years) with cervical cancer (stage IA2, one patient; stage IB1, nine patients; stage IB2, three patients; stage IIA, three patients; and stage IIB, two patients) underwent a laparoscopic SN procedure based on a combined detection method, followed by complete laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy. If the SN was free of metastasis by both hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and IHC staining, all non-SNs were also examined by the combined staining method. RESULTS: A mean of 2.4 SNs (range 1-5) and 8 non-SNs (range 4-14) were excised per patient. Eight SNs (18.2%) from five patients (27.8%) were found to be metastatic at the final histological assessment, including two macrometastatic SNs, three micrometastatic SNs and isolated tumor cells in three SNs. In 13 patients, no metastatic SN involvement was detected by H&E and IHC staining. In these 13 patients, 106 non-SNs were examined by serial sectioning and IHC, and none was found to be metastatic. CONCLUSIONS: The SN procedure appears to reliably predict the metastatic status of the regional lymphatic basin in patients with cervical cancer.     

乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检的研究进展

前哨淋巴结活检（SLNB）是本世纪继早期乳腺癌保乳治疗后第二个最重要的进展,前哨淋巴结活检是种多学科结合的新方法,比腋窝淋巴结清扫更能准确的进行腋窝分期,乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检很快运用到临床实践。适当选择病人,由有经验的多学科团队进行前哨淋巴结活检,其精确度超过95％,前哨淋巴结活检广泛应用在可触及的和不可触及的T1和T2的肿瘤病人。最近研究表明,前哨淋巴结活检技术可应用在多中心多病灶的和新辅助化疗后和局部晚期乳腺癌病人。前哨淋巴结活检的重要因素包括注射技术,病例选择,病理分析和活检精确度等,为此简要综述如下。     

探测前哨淋巴结在早期宫颈癌中的应用

目的 :评价核素淋巴显像和r探针定位在宫颈癌中确定SLN的应用价值。方法 :2 2例女性宫颈癌病人 ,体检盆腔未扪及肿块。应用99mTc DX 74MBq(2mCi)在宫颈肿瘤周围 2°或 10°处注射 ,行核素淋巴显像后 ,对手术后的标本用γ探针行体外定位 ,并与病理的结果加以对照。结果 :2 2例病人中活检SLN 17例 ,其灵敏度为10 0 % (4/4例 ) ,特异性 10 0 % (13/13例 )。结论 :盆腔前哨淋巴结的病理结果基本能准确反映盆腔淋巴结的病理状态 ,核素定位法在宫颈癌中检测盆腔前哨淋巴结是切实可行和可能的。     

乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检的安全性

循证医学Ⅰ、Ⅱ级证据支持乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检（SLNB）的安全性。本文就SLNB对腋窝淋巴结的准确分期、前哨淋巴结阴性患者SLNB替代腋清扫术后腋窝复发率和并发症、SLNB的放射安全性、SLNB新的适应症进行讨论。     

临床腋窝淋巴结阳性乳腺癌患者内乳区前哨淋巴结活检术研究*

目的：评估临床腋窝淋巴结阳性乳腺癌患者行内乳区前哨淋巴结活检术（IM-SLNB）的临床意义。方法：2013年6 月至2014年10月对山东省肿瘤医院乳腺病中心就诊的64例临床腋窝淋巴结阳性的原发性乳腺癌患者行前瞻性单臂入组研究,采取腋窝淋巴结清扫术,同时均应用新的核素注射技术进行IM-SLNB。结果：64例患者中内乳区前哨淋巴结（IM-SLN）显像为38例,显像率为59.4%（38/ 64）。 38例IM-SLN 显像患者中IM-SLNB 成功率为100%（38/ 38）,并发症发生率为7.9%（3/ 38）,IM-SLN 转移率为21.1%（8/ 38）。 肿瘤位于内上象限和腋窝淋巴结转移数目较多的患者,其IM-SLN 转移率较高（P < 0.001 和P = 0.017）。 患者临床获益率为59.4%（38/ 64）,其中12.5%（8/ 64）另接受了内乳区放疗、46.9%（30/ 64）避免了不必要的内乳区放疗。结论：临床腋窝淋巴结阳性的乳腺癌应进行IM-SLNB,尤其对于肿瘤位于内上象限及怀疑存在较多腋窝淋巴结转移数目的患者,以获得内乳区淋巴结的转移状态,指导乳腺癌患者内乳区放疗。     

乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检研究进展

近年来,乳腺癌的发病率越来越高,乳腺癌治疗方式也在不断改进,但手术仍然是早期乳腺癌治疗的主要手段。对于早期乳腺癌,前哨淋巴结活检术（sentinel lymph node biopsy,SLNB）是一种安全、精确的手术方式,已逐渐替代腋窝淋巴结清扫术（axillary lymph node dissection,ALND）成为早期乳腺癌治疗的标准术式。随着研究的深入,SLNB的应用范围更广,术后生活质量显著改善,但其操作尚需要进一步统一规范。在前哨淋巴结微转移、宏转移、前哨淋巴结活检阳性的老年患者以及新辅助化疗的前哨淋巴结活检等方面尚未达成共识,还需要更多大型多中心前瞻性的随机试验来进一步论证。     

亚甲蓝在乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检中的应用

目的探讨亚甲蓝作为蓝染料在乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检中的应用价值。方法对已确诊的72例乳腺癌病人亚甲蓝皮下注射后行腋窝前哨淋巴结切除,送冰冻病理检查,再行乳腺癌改良根治术,并常规腋窝淋巴结清扫,术后病理石腊切片检查前哨淋巴结及手术切除标本。结果本组病例中68例共检出前哨淋巴结132枚,失败4例。前哨淋巴结的检出率94.4%,准确率91.8%,敏感度92%,假阴性率8%,假阳性率为0。结论采用亚甲蓝作为蓝染料应用于乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检术,其前哨淋巴结活检的各项指标与其他蓝染料(专利蓝)相当,且材料广泛、费用低廉,具有临床应用前景。     

乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检意义初探

目的：探讨开展乳腺癌前哨淋巴结活检(Sentinel lymph node biopsy，SLNB)的必要性、可行性、准确性及临床应用价值。方法：对45例临床、B超及钼靶检测腋窝LN阴性的原发乳腺癌患者，术中在原发肿瘤周围注射专利蓝进行腋窝淋巴结切除(SLNB)，随后行腋窝淋巴结清扫(ALND)。术中对部分SLN、术后对全部LN行常规病理检查。结果：45例患者中41例检测到SLN，成功率91．1％；假阴性率为6．66％，SLNB总的敏感性是93．3％，特异性是96．1％；总的阳性和阴性预测值分别是93．3％和96．1％。结论：乳腺癌SLNB是一项有实用价值的新技术，目前国内外仍在研究阶段，随着研究的扩大与深入将有可能取代常规的ALND。     

Comparison of pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy versus para-aortic lymphadenectomy alone for locally advanced FIGO stage IB2 to IIB cervical cancer using a propensity score matching analysis: Results from the FRANCOGYN study group

Introduction

Pre-treatment evaluation of nodal status is crucial in women presenting with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). However, the prognostic impact of surgical staging remains to be proved, as published results comparing surgical versus radiological staging are contradictory. The aim of this study was to compare the prognosis of women with FIGO stage IB2–IIB CC who underwent surgical nodal staging including either exclusive para-aortic lymphadenectomy (PAL) or comprehensive pelvic + para-aortic lymphadenectomy (P-PAL).

Impact of sentinel node biopsy on long-term quality of life in breast cancer patients

Background:

The aim of this study was to assess long-term quality of life (QoL) over a period of 6 years in women with breast cancer (BC) who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), or SLNB followed by ALND.

Methods:

The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ)-C30 and the EORTC-QLQ-BR-23 questionnaires were used to assess QoL before surgery, just after surgery, 6, 12 and 72 months later. The longitudinal effect of surgical modalities on QoL was assessed with a mixed model analysis of variance for repeated measurements.

Results:

Five hundred and eighteen BC patients were initially included. The median follow-up was 6 years. During the follow-up, 61 patients died. None of the patients of the SLNB group developed lymphedema during follow-up and the relapse rate was similar in the different groups (P=0.62). Before surgery, global health status (P=0.52) and arm symptoms (BRAS) (P=0.99) QoL scores were similar whatever the surgical procedure. The BRAS score (P=0.0001) was better in the SLNB group 72 months after surgery. Moreover, during follow-up, patients treated with SLNB had lower arm symptoms scores than ALND patients and there was no difference for arm symptoms between patients treated with ALND and those treated with SLNB followed by complementary ALND.

Conclusion:

Long-term follow-up showed that SLNB was associated with less morbidity than ALND.     

The sensitivity of axillary staging when using sentinel node biopsy in breast cancer

AIMS: We aimed to study factors, which enhance the sensitivity of sentinel node biopsy. METHODS: Three hundred and sixty-three clinically node negative breast cancer patients with successful sentinel node biopsy were studied. All focally radioactive and/or blue nodes in the axilla were harvested. All palpably suspicious lymph nodes were also removed for a similar histological evaluation. RESULTS: Sentinel node metastases were found in 129 patients. The metastasis was detected in the three first retrieved sentinel nodes in 126 cases and in the fourth or fifth node in three cases. The 'hottest' sentinel node was not the involved one in 18 cases. Five patients with tumour negative sentinel nodes had metastases in other palpably suspicious nodes. CONCLUSIONS: Harvesting all focally radioactive and/or blue nodes and other palpably suspicious nodes minimises the false negative rate in sentinel node biopsy. Removal of more than five nodes does not significantly improve the sensitivity of axillary staging.     

前哨淋巴结识别在早期宫颈癌临床应用的研究进展

宫颈癌在女性生殖器官肿瘤中发病率最高,淋巴结转移是其细胞转移的最早特征,宫颈癌患者局部淋巴结状况直接影响患者的预后并决定着辅助治疗方案的制定。前哨淋巴结是在原发肿瘤淋巴引流区域内,淋巴结发生转移必经的首站淋巴结。前哨淋巴结(SLN)能反映整个盆腔淋巴结的转移状况。其研究使大多数早期宫颈癌患者避免不必要的盆腔淋巴结清扫术。