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Updated: May 22, 2026
Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping and Biopsy for Endometrial Cancer at Early Stage with Laparoscopy
Published on: August 19, 2021
The role of sentinel lymph node biopsy in select sarcoma patients: a meta-analysis
Sharee Wright1, Kent Armeson, Elizabeth G Hill
1Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, Medical University of South Carolina and Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA.
Background:
Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is a staging technique for occult lymph node disease. SLN biopsy has been applied to select patients with sarcoma, although the clinical utility remains uncertain.
Methods:
A PubMed/MEDLINE literature search was performed, and SLN biopsy outcomes were analyzed using a Bayesian meta-analytic approach to obtain point and interval estimates of rates of interest.
Results:
Sixteen studies involving SLN biopsy in patients with sarcoma were identified. Of 114 patients reported, 14 patients had positive SLNs (crude estimate, 12%; meta-analysis estimate, 17%). The meta-analysis false-negative rate was 29% (95% credible interval, 5%-59%). Recurrence and death rates in the SLN-positive group were higher than in the SLN-negative group.
Conclusions:
This investigation highlights the current role of SLN biopsy in select patients with sarcoma for tumor staging. Questions regarding the high false-negative rate and management of micrometastatic lymphatic disease in patients with sarcoma still exist.
