COMBINED USE OF INTRAOPERATIVE LYMPHATIC MAPPING AND LYMPHOSCINTIGRAPHY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SQUAMOUS-CELL CANCER OF THE VULVA

Background. The standard care of the patient with squamous cell cancer of the vulva is radical vulvectomy along with inguinal-femoral node d issection. We explored the feasibility of sentinel lymphadenectomy in patients with squamous cell cancer of the vulva. Methods. Patients wit h biopsy proven squamous cell cancer of the vulva were studied with pr eoperative lymphoscintigraphy, intraoperative lymphatic mapping with i sosulfan blue combined with intraoperative lymphoscintigraphy utilizin g a hand-held gamma counter. Results. Five patients with invasive squa mous cell cancer were studied. Sentinel nodes were identified in six l ymphatic basins. One lymphatic basins had two sentinel nodes. Six of s even sentinel nodes were blue and all retained radioactivity at a rati o of at least 3:1 above the background levels in the regional node bas in. One patient was found to have metastatic tumor which was confined to a sentinel lymph node. There was minimal morbidity associated with the procedure. Conclusions. Lymphatic mapping is feasible in patients with squamous cell cancer of the vulva. These initial results suggests further study is warranted. (C) 1998 Academic Press.