Boeve K, et al. - Researchers evaluated the sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in detecting occult metastases in cT1-2N0 oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Occult metastases in early OSCC was detected by SLNB with 85% sensitivity and 94% NPV. For oral cT1-2N0 SCC, SLNB was seen to be a reliable procedure for surgical staging of the neck.

Methods

• Experts conducted a retrospective study.
• Lymphoscintigraphy, SPECT/CT-scanning and gamma probe detection were used in the SLNB procedure.
• For the SLNB negative neck, routine follow-up was the reference standard.
• The step serial sectioning, haematoxylin-eosin and cytokeratin AE1/3 staining were used for histopathological examination of sentinel lymph nodes (SLN).
• This study was conducted at two comprehensive oncology centers on a total of 91 consecutive patients with primary cT1-2N0 OSCC treated by primary resection and neck staging by SLNB procedure between 2008 and 2016.
• The main outcome measures were sensitivity and negative predictive value.

Results

• SLNs were harvested in all cases, and tumor-positive SLNs were seen in a total of 25 (27%) patients.
• Median follow-up was 32 months (range 2-104).
• In the SLNB negative neck side, four patients were diagnosed with an isolated regional recurrence resulting in an 85% sensitivity and a 94% NPV.