Evaluation of the scalene lymph nodes in primary and recurrent cervical carcinoma

Open biopsy of the left scalene lymph nodes has been utilized to identify distant spread of cervical carcinoma in selected groups of patients who do not have other clinical evidence of disseminated disease. Twenty-one patients with primary cervical carcinoma and histologically proven para-aortic lymph node metastases and 10 patients with centrally recurrent tumors underwent scalene lymph node biopsy at Walter Reed Army Medical Center or the Naval Hospital, Bethesda, Maryland, between July 1, 1979 and June 30, 1985. All patients undergoing scalene node biopsy had clinically negative physical examinations. There were no surgical complications. All 31 biopsies were negative for metastatic tumor. Combined with previously reported data from this institution, 3 of 28 patients (11%) with primary cervical carcinoma and involved para-aortic nodes, and 6 of 35 patients (17%) with centrally recurrent disease had subclinical scalene node metastases. Patients with clinically suspicious scalene lymphadenopathy had fine needle aspiration cytology performed to document metastatic disease. The success of this technique has eliminated the need for open biopsy in these patients. Scalene node biopsy provides valuable prognostic information in patients with cervical cancer who have positive para-aortic lymph nodes. It also obviates surgical exploration in some patients felt to have resectable recurrent disease who actually have subclinical distant spread.