Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for High-Risk Skin Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): Steve Kwon, Ming Zhao Dong, Peter C. Wu
Primary Institution: University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
Hypothesis
The role of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients remains unclear.
Conclusion
SLN biopsy is an investigational staging tool in clinically node-negative high-risk SCC patients, with a need for close surveillance regardless of SLN status.
Supporting Evidence
- There were no positive SLNs identified among six cases.
- The SLN positivity rate was found to be 14.1% for all sites.
- The negative predictive value for SLN biopsy was 97.8% in high-risk patients.
Takeaway
Doctors are trying to find out if a special test called SLN biopsy can help catch hidden cancer in patients with a serious type of skin cancer, but they found no cancer in the tests they did.
Methodology
The study reviewed clinical data from 6 patients who underwent SLN biopsy and performed a literature review of SLN procedures for SCC.
Limitations
The study had a small sample size and a lack of long-term follow-up data.
Participant Demographics
Mean age was 72 years, with a range from 51 to 89 years; 5 males and 1 female.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website