Similar distribution of pelvic sentinel lymph nodes and nodal metastases in cervical and endometrial cancer. A prospective study based on lymphatic anatomy.

OBJECTIVE: Comparing the anatomical distribution of metastatic and non-metastatic pelvic sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) in cervical and endometrial cancer. METHODS: Detailed SLN mapping results were prospectively retrieved in cervical (n = 145) or high-risk endometrial cancer (n = 201) patients undergoing a robotic staging procedure. Cervically injected Indocyanine Green (ICG), allowing for reinjection in case of inadequate mapping, was used as tracer. An anatomically based definition of SLNs was adhered to evaluating the upper (UPP) and lower (LPP) paracervical lymphatic pathways. The positions of SLNs were intraoperatively depicted on an anatomical chart. A completory pelvic lymphadenectomy was performed. Mapping rates and anatomical distribution of SLNs and the location of pelvic nodal metastases were compared between groups. RESULTS: The bilateral mapping rate was 97.9% and 95.0% for cervical and endometrial cancer respectively (p = .16). The proportion of typically positioned (interiliac and proximal obturator fossa) SLNs along the UPP was similar between groups (78.1% vs 82.1%, p = .09), and the rate of metastatic SLNs in the obturator fossa was 54.1% and 48.6% respectively (p = .45). All pelvic node positive women (cervical cancer n = 19, endometrial cancer n = 37) had at least one metastatic SLN. Anatomically typical positions could not be defined along the LPP. CONCLUSION: The anatomical location of SLNs and SLN metastases are similar in cervical and endometrial cancer suggesting that sensitivity results for an SLN concept in endometrial cancer and cervical cancer can be accumulated.

Resection of the upper paracervical lymphovascular tissue should be an integral part of a pelvic sentinel lymph node algorithm in early stage cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of lymph nodes and lymph node metastases (LNMs) in the upper paracervical lymphovascular tissue (UPLT) in early stage cervical cancer. METHODS: In this prospective study consecutive women with stage IA1-IB1 cervical cancer underwent a pelvic lymphadenectomy including identification of sentinel nodes (SLNs) as part of a nodal staging procedure in conjunction with a robotic radical hysterectomy (RRH) or robotic radical trachelectomy (RRT). Indocyanine green (ICG) was used as tracer. The UPLT was separately removed and defined as "SLN-parametrium" and, as all SLN tissue, subjected to ultrastaging and immunohistochemistry. Primary endpoint was prevalence of lymph nodes and metastatic lymph nodes in the UPLT. Secondary endpoints were complications associated with removal of the UPLT. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-five women were analysed. Nineteen (13.1%) had pelvic LNMs, all identified by at least one metastatic SLN. In 76 women (52.4%) at least one UPLT lymph node was identified. Metastatic UPLT lymph nodes were identified in six women of which in three women (2.1% of all women and 15.8% of node positive women) without lateral pelvic LNMs. Thirteen women had lateral pelvic SLN LNMs with either no (n = 5) or benign (n = 8) UPLT lymph nodes. No intraoperative complications occurred due to the removal of the UPLT. CONCLUSION: Removal of the UPLT should be an integral part of the SLN concept in early stage cervical cancer.

Combining Indocyanine Green and Tc99-nanocolloid does not increase the detection rate of sentinel lymph nodes in early stage cervical cancer compared to Indocyanine Green alone.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether combining two independent tracers increases the SLN-detection rate in cervical cancer. METHODS: Consecutive women with early stage cervical cancer planned for a robotic radical hysterectomy or a robotic radical trachelectomy with sentinel lymph node (SLN) detection were included. After cervical injections of Indocyanine green (ICG) and Tc99-nanocolloid (Tc99), near-infrared fluorescence imaging and a gamma probe were used to identify SLNs in the upper and lower paracervical pathways (UPP/LPP). A strict surgical algorithm was adhered to and the SLNs were defined as SLN-ICG, SLN-ICG+Tc99 or SLN-Tc99. In FIGO-stage ≥IA2 cancers a full pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) was performed after detection of SLNs. The primary endpoint was the SLN detection rate per tracer and combination of tracers. Secondary endpoints were sensitivity and mapping rates of the SLN algorithm per tracer and combination of tracers. RESULTS: In the sixty-five analyzed women, the bilateral mapping rate was 98.5% for ICG and 60% for Tc99 (p < 0.01). Combining the tracers did not increase the bilateral detection rate. In three women (5%) Tc99 identified ICG-negative non-metastatic SLNs without impact on the bilateral detection rate. Eight women (12%) had lymph node metastases (LNMs), all had at least one metastatic SLN. Seven (35%) of the 20 metastatic SLNs were detected by ICG only and 12 (60%) were ICG and Tc99 positive. CONCLUSION: SLN detection rate was significantly higher using ICG compared with Tc99. ICG identified all patients with LNMs. Combining ICG and Tc99 did not improve the bilateral detection rate of SLNs.