Feasibility and diagnostic performance of dual-tracer-guided sentinel lymph node biopsy in cT1-2N0M0 gastric cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic studies

BACKGROUND: Dual-tracer-guided sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy may provide a promising diagnostic tool to assess accurately the status of lymph node metastasis in the surgical operation and assure the oncologic safety of the function or stomach preserving surgery. The diagnostic performance of this technology in recent studies varied. Thus, we conducted this meta-analysis. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis was registered at the PROSPERO. Eligible studies were searched in the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Knowledge, and Cochrane Library databases. A random-effect model was used to pool the data. Summary receiver operator characteristic curves, analysis for publication bias, meta-regression, and subgroup analysis were also performed. RESULTS: The pooled SLN identification rate and sensitivity were 0.97 and 0.89. (99m)Tc-human serum albumin with indocyanine green (ICG), (99m)Tc-antimony sulfur colloid with ICG, performing SLN biopsy ≥15 min after dye injection, an SLN ≥5, the basin dissection, laparoscopic surgery, in studies conducted in Japan and studies published after 2012, were associated with higher sensitivity. CT1 stage, performing SLN biopsy ≥15 min after dye injection, in studies conducted in Japan and studies published after 2012, were related with a higher identification rate. CONCLUSIONS: Dual tracer is promising in SLN biopsy in gastric cancer, and the clinical application of SLN biopsy should be limited to the patients of cT1N0M0 gastric cancer. The combination of (99m)Tc-human serum albumin and ICG as well as the combination of (99m)Tc-antimony sulfur colloid and ICG may be the optimal tracer combination. However, it seems not justified to put this technique into routine clinical application recently. Some factors that might enhance diagnostic value are identified. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12957-017-1159-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.