Introduction: Views on significance and the most appropriate approach to lymphadenectomy in the non-small-cell lung carcinoma cases, have not been consistent. The method of the sentinel lymphonode identification and biopsy, which has been verified for other tumor types, may become a promising alternative or, at least, a supplement to currently applied procedures in cases of the lung carcinoma.
Study group and results: This prospective, non-randomized study was conducted in the Faculty Hospital in Olomouc between the years 2000-2003. The sentinel lymphonode identification was conducted in the group of 48 patients suffering from the non-small cell lung carcinoma, using the patent blue lymphatic mapping method. The sentinel lymphonode was identified in 40 patients (83.3%), a false negativity of the sentinel lymphonode was detected in 3 cases (7.5%).
Conclusion: The study proved the clinical benefit of the sentinel lymphonode identification and biopsy method in cases of the non-small cell lung carcinoma using the patent blue dye. Under the circumstance of certain experience with the technology, the reliability of the detection approaches that of the radionuclide sentinel lymphonode detection method. However, the clinical significance of the above method must be further tested on larger patient groups.