RESUMO
In prostate cancer, sentinel lymph node dissection (sLND) offers a personalized procedure with staging ability which is at least equivalent to extended LND while inducing lower morbidity. A bimodal fluorescent-radioactive approach was introduced to improve sentinel LN (SLN) detection. We present the first in-human case series on exploring the use of a fluorescent-magnetic hybrid tracer in a radiation-free sLND procedure. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and indocyanine green were administered simultaneously in five prostate cancer patients scheduled for extended LND, sLND and radical prostatectomy. In situ and ex vivo fluorescence and magnetic signals were documented for each LN sample detected via a laparoscopic fluorescence imaging and magnetometer system. Fluorescence and magnetic activity could be detected in all patients. Overall, 19 lymph node spots could be detected in situ, 14 of which were fluorescently active and 18 of which were magnetically active. In two patients, no fluorescent LNs could be detected in situ. The separation of the LN samples resulted in a total number of 30 SLNs resected. Ex vivo measurements confirmed fluorescence in all but two magnetically active SLNs. One LN detected in situ with both modalities was subsequently shown to contain a metastasis. This study provides the first promising results of a bimodal, radiation-free sLND, combining the advantages of both the magnetic and fluorescence approaches.
RESUMO
PURPOSE: Our study evaluated the diagnostic benefits of bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy in prostate cancer patients with unilaterally positive prostate biopsy. METHODS: Our retrospective analysis included clinical, surgical, and histopathological data of 440 prostate cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy and bilateral sentinel-guided and risk-adapted complementary extended pelvic lymphadenectomy at our hospital between 2015 and 2022. We performed multiparametric logistic regression analysis to identify the most relevant predictive factors for detecting lymph-node metastasis in this group of patients. RESULTS: Overall, 373 patients (85%) had histopathologically bilateral tumours and 45 (10%) pN1 status, of which 22 (49%) also had lymph-node metastasis contralateral to the side of the positive prostate biopsy. In two patients with confirmed unilateral disease in prostatectomy specimens, bilateral lymph-node metastases were observed. Eight pN1 patients would have been missed by unilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy, resulting in a false-negative rate of 18%, 82% sensitivity, and 98% accuracy. Clinical tumour category, International Society of Urological Pathology grade, and percentage of prostate biopsy cores that are positive, as well as number of dissected lymph nodes contralateral to positive prostate biopsy, were determined as the most relevant predictive factors for detecting lymph-node metastasis. Our analysis was limited by its retrospective nature as well as by the fact that 80% of the patients did not receive MRI-targeted biopsy. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the diagnostic value of bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy and the need for careful planning in surgery for prostate cancer patients with unilaterally positive prostate biopsy.