Published online Mar 28, 2015. doi: 10.5412/wjsp.v5.i1.14
Peer-review started: September 29, 2014
First decision: December 12, 2014
Revised: January 19, 2015
Accepted: February 4, 2015
Article in press: February 9, 2015
Published online: March 28, 2015
Processing time: 185 Days and 12.4 Hours
Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy has become the gold standard for patients with melanoma and breast cancer but it’s clinical application in other solid tumor types such as cancers of the esophagus, stomach, colon and rectum, head and neck, penis, uterine cervix and endometrium has been somewhat limited. Commonly used mapping techniques utilizing the combination of radiocolloid and blue dye may result in reduced SLN detection and increased false negative rates when applied to cancers with more complex lymphatic drainage patterns. Novel localization techniques including near infrared fluorescence, high resolution imaging and molecular targeted agents have been developed to address the limitations of conventional SLN detection practices in many solid tumor types. This article reviews the indications, techniques and detection rates for SLN biopsy in several different solid tumor types as well as the promising novel techniques created to address the contemporary limitations of this procedure.
Core tip: Novel localization techniques including near infrared fluorescence, high resolution imaging and molecular targeted agents have been developed to address the limitations of conventional sentinel lymph node (SLN) detection practices in many solid tumor types. This article reviews the indications, techniques and detection rates for SLN biopsy in several different solid tumor types as well as the promising novel techniques created to address the contemporary limitations of this procedure.