Sentinel lymph node mapping in endometrial cancer after 2020 ESGO-ESTRO-ESP consensus update: what will happen in the next few years?

Abstract

Comprehensive endometrial cancer staging requires mandatory lymph node status assessment. However, some randomized clinical studies show that full lymphadenectomy may have no therapeutic benefit in patients presented with early-stage disease. Sentinel lymph node mapping can be considered in patients at low to intermediate risk for nodal metastases and is an acceptable alternative to systemic lymphadenectomy for lymph node staging in FIGO stage I/II patients. Similarly, patients with serious comorbidities who might not tolerate a standard systemic lymphadenectomy may benefit from the procedure. Sentinel lymph node detection rates depend on cancer stage, histology, and technique used. The procedure is most performed with the use of radioactive technetium colloid (99mTc) combined with a blue dye or indocyanine green. Recently, more interest is also paid to new nanoparticles including carbon, superparamagnetic iron oxide, and mannose tracer agents. Growing interest in sentinel lymph node mapping technique has led to design increasing number of research projects regarding various mapping approaches in different endometrial cancer populations. Much attention has been paid to a non-invasive sentinel lymph node mapping technique e.g., radiomics. This article reviews the latest research on sentinel lymph node mapping perspectives in endometrial cancer patients.

Keywords: endometrial cancer; indocyanine green; sentinel lymph node.