Sentinel Lymph Node Dissection for Penile Carcinoma: The M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Experience

Purpose: We determined whether an extended sentinel lymph node dissection is effective for staging penile squamous carcinoma associated with clinically negative inguinal lymph nodes. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review was done of 20 consecutive patients who underwent extended sentinel lymph node dissection between 1985 and 1994. Results: Of the patients 14 underwent bilateral extended sentinel lymph node dissection, and 6 underwent ipsilateral extended sentinel lymph node dissection plus contralateral inguinal or ilioinguinal lymphadenectomy. All lymph nodes included in the extended sentinel node dissection were negative for metastases. Five patients had inguinal metastases at a median of 10 months (range 3 to 21) after negative extended sentinel lymph node dissection. Conclusions: Although it is a more extensive procedure than sentinel lymph node biopsy, extended sentinel lymph node dissection is still associated with a significant false-negative rate (25 percent). Thus, its routine use can no longer be recommended.