Advances in Diagnosing Vulvar Cancer
Doctors and researchers around the world are learning more about what causes vulvar cancer. They are also looking for and studying ways to prevent it. Over the past few years, they have been evaluating ways to check lymph nodes near the cancer site. Lymph nodes are bean-sized organs involved in fighting infection. A procedure called sentinel lymph node biopsy helps detect cancers too small to be found by diagnostic tests or routine pathologic studies. Sentinel node biopsy is considered part of the standard treatment for people with breast cancer and melanoma. Recent research suggests SLN bx works as well in patient with vulvar cancer as in patients with breast and melanoma. The success of SLN Bx strongly depends on the surgeon’s skill and experience with this procedure. Vulvar cancer is much less common than breast cancer or melanoma. You should discuss this option with your surgeon.
This new approach may help determine the health of an entire group of lymph nodes by identifying, removing, and examining a special lymph node called the sentinel node. The sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node or nodes to which cancer cells are likely to spread from the primary tumor. Doctors identify the sentinel lymph node by a procedure called lymphatic mapping. A doctor injects you with a radioactive substance or a blue dye and watches where it goes. It will move first to the lymph node or nodes that drain the tumor site. These are the sentinel lymph nodes. Identifying sentinel lymph nodes can help identify where cancer has spread, and in turn, help prevent unnecessary surgery. Removing fewer lymph nodes may also prevent side effects such as leg swelling and slow healing.