Clinical application of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping in patients with early-stage gastric cancer has been a controversial issue for years. However, a recent meta-analysis and a prospective multicenter trial of SLN mapping for early-stage gastric cancer have shown acceptable SLN detection rates and accuracy of determination of lymph node status. A dual-tracer method that uses radioactive colloids and blue dyes is currently considered the most reliable method for the stable detection of SLNs in patients with early-stage gastric cancer. However, the new technologies such as indocyanine green infrared or fluorescence imaging might revolutionize the SLN mapping procedures in gastric cancer. For early-stage gastric cancer, the establishment of individualized, minimally invasive treatments based on SLN concept may retain the patients' quality of life.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Takeuchi et al. (2015) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: