Is there any Role for Sentinel Node Mapping in Colorectal Cancer Staging? Personal Experience and Review of the Literature

Abstract

SN mapping is an easy and cost-effective technique that holds promise and warrants further investigations.

Clinical value of sentinel node mapping in carcinoma of the colon

“…In this study, a detection rate of SLN of 90% was achieved, although the number of cases ( n = 33) was relatively low. Some authors postulate a minimal learning curve of 10 cases per surgeon to become familiar with SLNM [5,10–14]. Thus, Saha et al.…”

Impact of nodal status and tumor burden in sentinel lymph nodes on the clinical outcomes of cancer patients

“…Isolated tumor cells are defined as either single tumor cells or as clusters of tumor cells of 0.2 mm or less 60, 61. Increase detection of such tumor deposits in lymph nodes in many solid cancers including colorectal cancer 62–65 has been made possible by SLN mapping technique. Although numerous studies have concluded that micrometastasis in SLNs is associated with adverse outcome compared to node‐negative disease, others failed to show such a correlation.…”

Detection and prognostic impact of micrometastasis in colorectal cancer

“…This definition has been extended in the AJCC 7th edition to include non-cohesive infiltrate of >200 cells as micrometastasis. Sentinel lymph node mapping has been evaluated as a technique to enhance the detection rates of micrometastasis in many solid tumors including colorectal cancer [7][8][9][10]. Since the first feasibility study in 1997 [7], many single and multi-center studies [8][9][10] have demonstrated high success rates, sensitivity and accuracy of this procedure.…”