Sentinel lymphonodectomy in nonmelanoma skin malignancies.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Whereas the value of sentinel lymphonodectomy (SLNE) in malignant melanoma is established, experience with SLNE in nonmelanoma skin cancers is limited. OBJECTIVES: The feasibility of SLNE in nonmelanoma skin tumours is evaluated. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with high-risk nonmelanoma skin tumours underwent SLNE 11 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), seven Merkel cell carcinomas (MCCs), five cutaneous lymphomas, eight adnexal carcinomas and six other skin cancers, all clinical stage N0. RESULTS: In nine patients (four MCCs, two SCCs, three lymphomas) the sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) showed histological evidence of microinvolvement. In five of these nine patients, radical lymph node dissection (RLND) was performed, revealing further micrometastases in three patients (two SCCs, one MCC). No patient with negative SLN showed tumour dissemination during the follow-up over a mean of 2.5 years (range 2 months to 4.5 years, median 2.4 years). CONCLUSIONS: Our data provide evidence that SLNE is a minimally invasive and highly sensitive staging tool in selected patients with high-risk nonmelanoma skin cancers.