Sentinel lymph node excision with or without preoperative hybrid single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) in melanoma: study protocol for a multicentric randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Melanoma has become a growing interdisciplinary problem in public health worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, the incidence of melanoma is increasing faster than any other cancer in the world. Because melanoma metastasizes early into the regional lymph nodes, sentinel lymph node excision (SLNE) is included in the current American Joint Committee of Cancer guidelines. However SLNE of melanoma has a high false-negative rate of up to 44%.

Methods

The gold standard for detection and extirpation of the sentinel lymph node is preoperative lymphoscintigraphy. SPECT/CT provides complementary information: the advantages include accurate anatomical localization, identification of false positives, reduction in the number of false negatives, and alteration o

SUBMITTER: Stoffels I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6360709 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature