Background: Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) is a new technique in staging the clinically N0 neck. On June 25 and 26, 2001, the First International Conference on Sentinel Node Biopsy in Mucosal Head and Neck Cancer took place in Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Methods: Twenty-two centers contributed results on the use of SNB as a staging tool in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The pathology of the sentinel node was compared with that of the pathologic neck specimen.
Results: Three hundred sixteen clinically N0 necks were included. Sentinel nodes were identified in 301 necks (95%). Of these 301 necks, 76 necks were staged positive with SNB, and 225 were staged negative. The overall sensitivity of the procedure was 90%. Centers who had performed < or = 10 cases had a lower sensitivity (57%), discovering only 4 of 7 metastatic nodes, in comparison with 72 of 77 metastatic nodes discovered for centers that had performed >10 cases (sensitivity, 94%).
Conclusions: The cumulative results of all those who contributed to the first international conference confirm that there is a role for SNB for staging the clinically N0 neck, and it has a similar sensitivity to that of a staging neck dissection.