Clinical analysis of sentinel lymph node identification in patients with cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To study the accuracy and feasibility of identifying sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) using methylene blue dye in patients with cervical cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-six cases with early-stage cervical cancer patients were studied using methylene blue injection into the cervix 90-120 minutes before abdominal pelvic lymph node dissection and extensive hysterectomy. The lymph nodes that resulted from staining were removed and pathohistology was performed.

RESULTS: A total of 106 SLN were identified in 49 patients (49/56). The detection rate of SLN was 87.5%. Sensitivity of the SLN was 90.91%, and specificity of the sentinel lymph nodes was 86.67%. Eleven patients (19.64%) were diagnosed with lymph node metastases and ten of them were in the group of SLN. Eight patients had positive SLN only. Two patients had both positive SLN and pelvic lymph nodes. None of the patients had positive pelvic lymph nodes and negative SLN.

CONCLUSION: The use of methylene blue injection for cervical cancer SLN biopsy has a higher detection rate of SLN. SLN detection can accurately predict the pathological status of pelvic lymph nodes in patients with cervical cancer.