Effectiveness of sentinel lymph node biopsy and bilateral pelvic nodal dissection using methylene blue dye in early-stage operable cervical cancer—A prospective study

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of methylene blue dye in detecting sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in women with early-stage operable (defined as FIGO I-IIA) cervical cancer. It also aims to evaluate procedural challenges and accuracy.

Method

This prospective study, which focused on 20 women with early-stage cervical cancer, was carried out between June 2016 and December 2017. These patients had SLN mapping with methylene blue dye injections and thorough examinations, including imaging. All patients underwent radical hysterectomy and complete bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy. No additional investigation was done on the lymph node in cases where a metastasis was found in the first H&E-stained segment of the sentinel node.

Result

20 patients were included in the analysis. The median age of the subjects was 53, and 95 % of them had squamous cell carcinoma. 90 % of the time, the identification of SLNs was effective, and 55 SLNs were found, of which 52.7 % were on the right side of the pelvis and 47.3 % on the left. The obturator group had the most nodes, followed by the external and internal iliac groups in descending order of occurrence. Metastasis was detected in 3 patients, resulting in a sensitivity of 100 % and a specificity of 93.75 % for SLN biopsy. Notably, no false-negative SLNs were found. Complications related to methylene blue usage included urine discoloration in 30 % of patients.

Conclusion

This trial highlights the promising efficacy and safety of methylene blue dye alone for SLN identification in early-stage operable cervical cancer, with a notably higher success rate. Despite limitations like a small sample size, healthcare professionals and researchers can build upon the insights from this study to enhance cervical cancer management.