OBJECTIVES:
I. Determine the sensitivity of the sentinel lymph node in the determination of lymph node metastases, using preoperative or intraoperative lymphatic mapping, in patients with stage IB1 cervical cancer.
II. Determine the false-negative predictive value of the sentinel lymph node in the determination of lymph node metastases in these patients.
OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.
Patients receive radiolabeled technetium Tc 99m sulfur colloid injected around the tumor 6 hours prior to or after induction of anesthesia right before surgery. Patients then undergo radical hysterectomy and complete pelvic and low para-aortic lymphadenectomy. Intraoperatively, patients undergo lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node identification using isosulfan blue or methylene blue injected at 4 locations in the cervix and a hand-held gamma counter.
