Sentinel lymph node in cervical cancer: time to move forward

In early-stage cervical cancer, lymph node status is of paramount importance to determine the best therapeutic strategy and is one of the most important prognostic factors of survival. According to main international guidelines, pelvic full lymphadenectomy is recommended for lymph node staging. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is an accurate method for the assessment of lymph nodal involvement and has been suggested instead of systematic pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND). The SLN technique requires a learning-curve to be well performed. Combined detection with technetium-99 and blue dye has been widely used but the recent introduction of indocyanine green (ICG) is of growing interest since it could improve SLN detection. SLN biopsy offers a more accurate anatomical staging by finding potential metastatic nodes outside of usual lymphadenectomy areas. SLN biopsy improves the diagnostic value of lymph node staging with ultrastaging and detection of low-volume nodal metastases [isolated tumor cells (ITCs) and micrometastases]. Appropriate selection of patient and minimal training combined with some simple rules may guarantee a low false negative rate. Several studies have shown that SLN mapping in these patients is feasible, with excellent detection rates and sensitivity. Less-radical lymph node dissection decreases the associated morbidity of PLND, especially the risk of lower-limb lymphoedema, which severely affects patient quality of life. Some points are still subject to debate such as the low accuracy of intraoperative SLN status assessment by frozen section and the impact of micrometastasis on prognosis. Although international guidelines consider SLN biopsy as an alternative to PLND, SLN biopsy alone is not the gold-standard yet due to lack of prospective evidence on long-term oncological safety. The 3 ongoing prospective trials SENTIX, PHENIX and SENTICOL III will most probably give an answer to these issues.