Sentinel Lymph Node Detection in Colorectal Cancer – First Experience

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second commonest cancer in women, the third in men, being the fourth commonest cause of cancer death. The most important factor for prognosis and staging in CRC patients is the status of the regional lymph nodes (LN). AIM: To implement the method for sentinel lymph node (SLN) detection in CRC patients using radiocolloid, and test its detection rate, sensitivity, accuracy, negative predictive value and the possibility for upstaging. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 40 CRC patients, age 63 ± 14 years, without LNs detected on CT or MRI. SLN detection was performed after endoscopically peri- and intratumoral injection of 99mTc-SENTISCINT. All patients underwent resection with systemic lymphadenectomy, and the SLNs were detected ex vivo. Pathohistology was performed to all resected LNs. RESULTS: The identification rate was 95%, the accuracy of the procedure was 92.1%, the negative predictive value was 86.95%, the sensitivity was 83.3%, and the upstage was 22.5%. CONCLUSION: Identification of SLNs in CRC patients with this method is possible and the detection rate, negative predictive value, accuracy and sensitivity are reliable. We expect to contribute in the upstaging of stage II CRC patients and the selection of appropriate oncology treatment protocols.