Sentinel NOSE: Prospective feasibility study on sentinel lymph node biopsy in bulky nasal vestibule cancer

Patients with bulky squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal vestibule are at high risk of nodal relapse and have worse prognosis, despite modern neck imaging. More sensitive assessment of the neck may obviate elective treatment and ultimately reduce the risk of nodal relapse and improve outcome. The goal of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, safety and tolerability of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in staging of bulky squamous cell nasal vestibule carcinoma (NVC).

Ten patients with cT1-T2N0 squamous cell NVC with diameter ≥1.5 cm, planned for curative brachytherapy, were prospectively included to undergo four peritumoral injections of ICG-[99mTc]Tc-nanocolloid. Subsequently, dynamic, static and SPECT/CT images were performed. The following day SLNB was conducted under general anesthesia combined with brachytherapy implantation of the primary tumor.

Sentinel lymph nodes were visualized in all patients (median 3.5 per patient), with successful subsequent biopsy in all cases (median yield 2.5 per patient). Occult lymph node metastases were found in 50% of patients. The procedure was well-tolerated.

SLNB in bulky NVC is feasible and safe, with a high success rate of executing the SLN procedure. The relatively high incidence of occult metastases in this population is consistent with earlier findings. Further research is needed to quantify the impact of SLNB in terms of total treatment burden and oncological outcomes.