Towards organ-preserving treatment of early-stage colon cancer using fluorescence lymph node detection
Towards organ-preserving treatment of early-stage colon cancer using fluorescence lymph node detection
For patients with early-stage colon cancer (T1-2 tumours), the risk of lymph node metastases is low. However, if cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, additional chemotherapy after surgery is beneficial for patients.
Currently, treatment options are limited to either a major surgery that removes half of the colon and lymph nodes, or a smaller procedure that only removes the tumour. The latter is less invasive but doesn’t provide certainty about lymph node involvement. Since CT and MRI scans aren’t accurate enough to assess lymph node status, surgery remains necessary to detect lymph node metastases.
A promising solution is the sentinel lymph node procedure, already widely used in breast cancer. This technique involves removing only the key lymph nodes during a minor operation and examining them for cancer spread. If these nodes are clear, a large operation may not be needed. Thanks to surgical robots and fluorescent imaging, even very small lymph nodes can now be identified with precision.
Initial studies of Daan Sikkenk suggest that this technique is feasible for colon cancer as well. In fact, the first patients worldwide have already been treated with this organ-preserving approach, keeping most of their colon intact. This development offers hope for less invasive treatments and improved quality of life for people with early-stage colon cancer.