Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 29, 2026
05:52
Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping and Biopsy for Endometrial Cancer at Early Stage with Laparoscopy
Published on: August 19, 2021
Dual Modality and Site-differentiated Sentinel Node Mapping in Vulvar Cancer
Bernd Morgenstern1, Matthias Schmidt2, Fabinshy Thangarajah3,4
1Department of Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; bernd.morgenstern@uk-koeln.de.
Anticancer Research
|May 27, 2026
Summary
Sentinel lymph node (SLN) marking for vulvar cancer is reliable regardless of injection site. Dual tracers (technetium and indocyanine green) confirmed consistent SLN identification, even after tumor removal, aiding accurate lymph node staging.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Surgical Pathology
- Nuclear Medicine
Background:
- Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is crucial for staging vulvar cancer.
- Accurate SLN identification can be challenging if the primary tumor is removed before lymph node staging.
- The impact of injection site on SLN marking in vulvar cancer requires clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether the injection site on the vulva affects sentinel lymph node (SLN) marking in patients with squamous cell vulvar cancer.
- To evaluate the reliability of dual tracer marking (technetium and indocyanine green) at different injection sites.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of 15 patients with squamous cell vulvar cancer undergoing SLN resection.
- Dual tracer marking using technetium and indocyanine green (ICG) at various vulvar injection sites.
- Analysis of SLN harvesting and tracer uptake across 27 groins.
Main Results:
- Sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) were successfully harvested from all groins.
- All radioactively labeled SLNs also showed indocyanine green (ICG) labeling.
- Tumor infiltration was found in three groins (two patients).
Conclusions:
- Sentinel lymph node (SLN) stainability is independent of the injection site on the vulva.
- Dual tracer marking with technetium and ICG is effective for SLN identification in vulvar cancer.
- This supports the feasibility of SLN marking even after primary tumor excision.
