Radioguided surgery in urological malignancies.

The current literature was reviewed for articles focusing on radioguided surgery in urological malignancies. In penile cancer sentinel lymph node dissection is part of international guidelines. By detailed histopathological analysis (serial sections, immunohistochemical staining) more micrometastases are detectable improving the histopathological staging. In prostate cancer this technique also improves staging since a high percentage of patients have lymph node metastases located outside the region of standard lymphadenectomy. Compared to extended lymph node dissection radioguided surgery has a lower morbidity, especially a lower rate of lymphoceles. In bladder cancer the sentinel lymph node (SLN) technique has some limitations. Combined with extended lymph node dissection more positive lymph nodes are removed which possibly improves survival. In renal cell and testicular cancer there are only preliminary results. Further investigations will show whether this technique will play an important role in the diagnostics and therapy of these tumors. In all urological malignancies the SLN concept is only a staging procedure. When the sentinel node(s) is (are) negative, the other lymph nodes are negative, too. Since there are no randomized prospective trials comparing the results of sentinel lymphadenectomy with other techniques of lymph node dissection, it is not clear whether sentinel lymph node dissection also has a prognostic impact.