Immunohistochemical Study of Sentinel Lymph Node in Colon Cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Surgical Pathology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Accurate lymph node staging is critical for colon cancer prognosis.
• Sentinel lymph node (SLN) identification enhances staging accuracy.
• The number of examined lymph nodes impacts patient survival.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the significance of SLN histological and immunohistochemical examination in colon cancer.
• To evaluate the role of SLN analysis in adjuvant oncological treatment planning.

Main Methods:

• Study included 23 colon cancer patients undergoing surgical intervention.
• Sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) were identified and prepared for histological examination.
• Haematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemistry (using anti-p53, anti-VEGF-C, anti-CD34 antibodies) were performed.

Main Results:

• SLN detection rate was 92%, with 78.2% accuracy and 90% sensitivity.
• Micrometastases were detected in 13 cases via HE staining.
• Immunohistochemistry identified positive cases in 5 patients; 5 cases were negative by both methods.

Conclusions:

• SLN histological and immunohistochemical examination is a reproducible and valuable method for lymph node analysis in colon cancer.
• This technique improves the accuracy of lymph node staging, impacting adjuvant treatment decisions.
• Four patients (17.3%) with exclusive micrometastases in SLNs were identified through advanced examination.