Role of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Current Evidence and Future Challenges

Authors

Sophie S Jang
Morgan E Davis
David R Vera
Stephen Y Lai
Theresa W Guo

Publication Date

1-1-2023

Journal

Head & Neck

Abstract

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has been used across oncological specialties for prognostication, staging, and identification of occult nodal metastasis. Recent studies demonstrated the potential clinical utility of SLNB in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC). Elective neck dissection is the current standard of care in early management of OCSCC with depth of invasion greater than 2-4 mm; however, majority of patients ultimately do not have nodal disease on final pathology. SLNB is an alternative procedure widely adopted in early cancer management in many oncological subspecialities. Several considerations such as depth of invasion, nodal mapping, histopathology methods, operator variability, postoperative complications, and advancement in preoperative and intraoperative imaging technology can guide the appropriate application to SLNB in OCSCC. The aim of this review is to discuss the current evidence for SLNB in the treatment of early stage OCSCC, imaging technologies that support SLNB procedures, and studies that are currently underway.

Keywords

Humans, Mouth Neoplasms, Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy, Carcinoma, Squamous Cell, Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck, Lymphatic Metastasis, Head and Neck Neoplasms, Neoplasm Staging, Lymph Nodes, Sentinel lymph node biopsy, oral squamous cell carcinoma

Comments

PMID: 36193862