High false negative rate of frozen section examination of sentinel lymph nodes in patients with cervical cancer

Abstract

Metastatic involvement of the sentinel nodes (SN) is one of the main prognostic factors in cervical cancer which determines the disease management. The results of intra-operative SN examination would make it possible to triage patients in a one-step protocol.

The studies carried out on the subject so far have, however, failed to demonstrate adequate accuracy of frozen section examination (FS) and, moreover, they only involved small cohorts.

Keywords

• Cervical cancer
• Frozen section
• Lymphadenectomy
• Sentinel lymph node