[Sentinel lymph dissection in cervical cancer--prognostic factors].

INTRODUCTION: The concept for the sentinel lymph nodes is one of the most significant and interesting achievements in clinical oncology in the last 10 years. It is possible according to it, by dissection and studing of one or a small number of lymph nodes, the status of the regional lymphatic network drainage to be foreseen. OBJECTIVE: To study the application of sentinel lymph nodes detection by applying Patent blue V marker in patients with invasive cervical cancer who had undergone radical hysterectomy and pelvic and/or paraaortic lymph detection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a prospective study in the period from January 2001- December 2003 the mapping technique for detection of the sentinel lymph nodes was utilized in 129 patients with cervical cancer. Preoperativly 2 ml. Patent blue V was injected into the cervix. Intraoperativly it was looked for blue coloured lymph flows going to the first (sentinel) lymph nodes in the pelvic lymphatic network drainage and the paraaortic area. All patients had a radical surgical intervention on the uterus and the lymph nodes but in a different degree. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS: The method was successful in 67 (51.94%) of the patients included in the study. The factors influencing the success of the method were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: The mapping method of detection of the sentinel lymph nodes could be utilized for patients with early stage of cervical cancer.