The role of sentinel node dissection

Hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and complete surgical staging by lymph node dissection has been recommended as the standard of care for apparent early-stage endometrial cancer in many national guidelines since 1985 [1]. Other, mainly European, guidelines include neither a lymph node dissection nor lymph node sampling. Whether to perform a lymph node dissection has been one of the most controversial areas in the management of endometrial cancer. Moreover, the extent of the lymph node dissection is of ongoing debate, such as pelvic versus pelvic and para-aortic; below versus above the inferior mesenteric artery; complete lymphadenectomy versus lymph node sampling.