Clinical Research Directory

Axillary Management in Breast Cancer Patients With Needle Biopsy Proven Nodal Metastases After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

The aim of this study is to assess whether, omitting further axillary treatment (ALND and ART) for patients with early stage breast cancer and axillary nodal metastases on needle biopsy, who after NACT have no residual cancer in the lymph nodes on sentinel node biopsy, is non-inferior to axillary treatment in terms of disease free survival (DFS) and results in reduced risk of lymphoedema at 5 years.

ALND vs ART in Positive Sentinel Node After Neoadjuvant Therapy in Breast Cancer

In the case of primary surgery, in patients with sentinel node involvement, it has already been shown that omitting axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), often combining axillary radiotherapy (RT), does not worsen the prognosis and does significantly reduce the appearance of lymphedema. However, patients who have received neoadjuvant systemic treatment cannot benefit from this option, even though in the majority of those who have responded well to treatment, a residual disease in the armpit is low, but there are no studies yet published that supports the possibility of not performing lymphadenectomy. The primary endpoint is to evaluate wether axillary radiotherapy (ART) presents a lower risk of lymphedema with respect to lymphadenectomy (ALND) in patients with breast cancer who, after neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NST), present the sentinel node affected. Likewise, we will evaluate recurrences and overall survival in both groups. Finally, we will analyze the quality of life of these patients.

No Axillary sUrgical Treatment In Clinically Lymph Node Negative Patients After UltraSonography

NAUTILUS study is a prospective, multicenter, RCT. Clinically T1,T2, node negative BCS candidates with no evidence of metastases in AUS are 1:1 randomized into no SLNB group and SLNB group. NAUTILUS study aim to establish the minimally invasive treatment of breast cancer by reexamining the necessity of sentinel lymph node biopsy among patients with invasive breast cancer who have tumors under 5cm, are clinically node-negative, and are having breast conserving surgery performed.

Sentinel Node Biopsy in Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynaecological cancer. Current treatment of EC typically includes removal of the uterus and to determine the extent of the disease (removal of fallopian tubes, ovaries \& if required a lymph node dissection (surgical staging)). While lymph node dissection may be valuable to guide the need for adjuvant treatment (chemo or radiotherapy) after surgery, it has been a topic of controversy for the last 30 years. In some patients it causes morbidity, specifically lymphoedema. This recently has been replaced with sentinel node biopsy (SNB). It requires an injection of a dye into the cervix with specific equipment \& surgical dissection of the lymph node in which the dye first becomes visible. Despite this promising proposition \& similar to a lymph node dissection, the value to patients, cost effectiveness \& potential harms (e.g. lymphedema) of SNB compared to no-node dissection in EC has never been established. Aim: determine the value of SNB for patients, the healthcare system and exclude detriment to patients using a randomised approach 1:1. Stage 1 - 444 patients. Stage 2 additional 316 patients. Primary Outcome Stage 1: Proportion of participants returning to usual daily activities at 12 months from surgery using the EQ-5D which will determine when women in both groups can return to their usual activities. Primary Outcome Stage 2: Treatment non-inferiority as evaluated by disease-free survival status at 4.5 years post-surgery, as measured by the time interval between the date of randomisation and date of first recurrence. Confirmation of recurrent disease will be ascertained through clinical assessment, radiological work-up and/or histological results.

Finding Sentinel Lymph Nodes During Mastectomy Using Indocyanine Green (INIGMA Study)

This pilot study evaluates the diagnostic value of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) performed through the mastectomy incision in breast cancer patients. Women with clinically node-negative, invasive T1-T3 breast cancer undergoing mastectomy with SLNB at St. Antonius or Isala Hospital will be included. All patients receive standard 99mTc injection preoperatively, followed by 5 mg (2mL) ICG injection after anesthesia. The axilla will be explored for fluorescent lymph nodes via the mastectomy incision, avoiding a separate axillary incision. Primary outcome: ICG detection rate for SLN identification via the mastectomy incision. Secondary outcomes: Comparison with 99mTc detection, number of nodes identified, concordance between methods, pathology differences, detection time, and complications. ICG is safe, non-ionizing, and causes no extra discomfort or visits. Risks and burden are minimal.

Implementation of Indocyanine Green to Identify Sentinel Lymph Nodes During Surgery for Breast Cancer

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn how to successfully introduce a new method for finding the sentinel lymph node during breast cancer surgery into routine hospital care. The method uses a dye called indocyanine green (ICG) and a special camera to see the lymph node. The sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node that cancer is likely to spread to. In the Netherlands, about 1 in 7 women develops breast cancer. Finding out whether cancer has spread to the lymph nodes is important for planning treatment and predicting outcomes. The current standard method for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) uses a radioactive tracer called radioisotope technetium-labeled (99mTc)-nanocolloid. While accurate, this method has several drawbacks: it exposes patients to radioactivity, requires an extra hospital visit or travel to another hospital due to limited nuclear medicine facilities, and is not sustainable. Surgeries using 99mTc can only take place on certain days due to logistical issues, and the signal from 99mTc can be disturbed by the tumor marker placed in the breast. ICG works as well as 99mTc for SLNB and offers several advantages: it is given during surgery (no extra visit needed), produces no radiation, and reduces costs. However, it is still not widely used in the Netherlands because hospitals may not be familiar with it or unsure how to make the switch. This study will introduce ICG step-by-step in several Dutch hospitals and evaluate how to make the change as smooth and effective as possible. It will take place in three stages: I) SLNB with 99mTc only (current practice); II) SLNB with both 99mTc and ICG (transition phase); III) SLNB with ICG only (full implementation). All study procedures take place during planned surgery, with no extra hospital visits. After surgery, participants will receive a short questionnaire (10-15 minutes) to share their experiences with the procedure. Their feedback, combined with input from healthcare providers, will help researchers develop a uniform medical protocol, an implementation guide, and educational materials for surgeons and surgical trainees. The aim is to make ICG widely available across the Netherlands, ensuring that care is less burdensome, more sustainable, and more cost-effective, while keeping treatment accessible in local hospitals.

Refining Local-Regional Therapy for IBC

This Feasibility study is trying to determine: * If Lymphoscintigraphy (imaging of the lymphatic drainage patterns) is effective in demonstrating the drainage to the sentinel lymph nodes in patients with inflammatory breast cancer. * The likelihood of identifying the sentinel lymph nodes in the operating room, using both blue dye and the radioactive substance used for lymphoscintigraphy. * The incidence of lymphedema (arm swelling which occurs after lymph node surgery) in women with inflammatory breast cancer * Outcomes for women with inflammatory breast cancer, whether or not the sentinel lymph nodes can be identified.

The Value of Indocyanine Green-guided Near-infrared Fluorescence Technology in Tracing Sentinel Lymph Nodes During Esophagectomy

Sentinel lymph nodes, as the primary site of tumor metastasis, play a pivotal role in assessing patient prognosis and planning subsequent treatment strategies. The investigators plan to conduct a multicenter, prospective cohort study to evaluate the effectiveness of indocyanine green (ICG)-guided near-infrared imaging in tracing sentinel lymph node during esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) surgery, compared with the gold standard of complete lymph node dissection (CLND), in detecting metastatic disease. This study aims to address the following core questions: 1. In ESCC patients undergoing surgery, can sentinel lymph node biopsy reduce unnecessary lymph node dissection? 2. In ESCC patients undergoing surgery, can reducing lymph node dissection decrease postoperative complications such as chylothorax and weakened immunity? During the study, ICG will be injected around the tumor under intraoperative gastroscopy guidance, followed by tracking of fluorescent lymph nodes using a thoracoscopic near-infrared camera. Professional thoracic surgeons will group and mark these lymph nodes for intraoperative frozen pathology. Subsequent CLND and routine postoperative pathology will be performed. This study will collect patients' clinical information, ICG imaging results, pathological examination results, and other data for statistical analysis to assess the sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) of the ICG imaging system. If the study results support the effectiveness of the ICG imaging system, it has the potential to become an important tool for sentinel lymph node localization and biopsy in future ESCC surgeries, helping to reduce unnecessary lymph node resection and improve surgical efficiency and safety. Participants will: 1. Undergo minimally invasive ESCC surgery within 2 weeks of enrollment, including the 14th day. 2. Receive ICG injection around the tumor under intraoperative gastroscopy guidance during surgery. 3. Have perioperative, postoperative pathology, and complication information recorded. 4. Undergo standardized follow-up after surgery.

Sentinel Node and Organ-sparing Surgery in Stage I Colon Carcinoma

The aim of this study is to reduce the need for colectomy and its' associated morbidity and mortality in patients with pT1-2 colon carcinoma after endoscopic resection and an estimated lymph node metastasis (LNM) risk of \>15%, or with macroscopically suspected T1 tumors, by performing an endoscopic-assisted laparoscopic/robotic wedge resection of the tumor or scar, along with sentinel node (SLN) biopsy using indocyanine green (ICG). This intervention will be compared to the standard-of-care segmental resection using a partially randomized patient preference design. The primary outcome is the 3-year recurrence rate.

Bronchial NIR Image-guided Resection

This is a clinical trial to evaluate the use of peritumoral injection of near-infrared dye indocyanine green to identify lung lesions and sentinel lymph nodes. The primary purpose is to determine if the use of ICG injected via navigational bronchoscopy, CT-guided or transthoracic allows us to identify the first lymph node that drains from the tumor, and thus would be the most likely site for metastatic disease, and remove it for analysis to improve the ability to detect tumor in this node and to remove this additional site that potentially contains tumor cells. Using this intraoperative imaging technique, we aim to improve the identification of lung nodules for resection and the intraoperative identification of sentinel lymph nodes in the event that a lymphadenectomy is performed.

TAD After Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced Breast Cancer

This is an observational study to validate target axillary dissection (TAD) in locally advanced tumors (cN2 and/or cT4).

Rapid Assessment of Sentinel Lymph Node Metastasis Status Using a Pan-CK-targeting NIR-II Fluorescent Probe in Breast Cancer

Breast malignant tumors are a serious threat to women's health, and the current treatment for breast malignant tumors is still dominated by surgery, but the problems faced by patients after surgery such as edema and tumor recurrence are still relatively common, and the high recurrence rate and the occurrence of postoperative complications are closely related to the removal of metastatic lymph nodes during surgery. Therefore, accurate assessment of sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastases is essential to determine the extent of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) and minimize complications. In this study, we developed a new technique that can rapidly distinguish between metastatic lymph nodes and normal sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in breast cancer patients. Briefly, fresh tissue is incubated with the probe and imaged immediately after intraoperative sentinel lymph node resection to identify the metastatic status of SLN. The accuracy of fluorescence imaging is confirmed by pathological diagnosis.

Sentinel Node Biopsy Versus Limited Elective Neck Dissection in Early Cancers of Oral Cavity NoDe Negative

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the survival outcomes, morbidity and cost-effectiveness of sentinel node biopsy versus limited elective neck dissection in node-negative early oral cancers. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Survival outcomes * Morbidity outcomes * Cost-effectiveness Participants will either undergo sentinel node biopsy followed by completion neck dissection if sentinel node is reported to be metastatic (SNB) or limited elective neck dissection where level IIb will be cleared only if level IIa is metastatic (limited END). The study will compare the outcomes in the two cohorts.

Comparison of Two-Position and Four-Position Cervical Injection Techniques for Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping in Endometrial Cancer Using Methylene Blue

This clinical trial evaluates lymph node mapping in newly diagnosed endometrial cancer patients undergoing surgery. The standard technique uses a 2-point methylene blue cervical injection. The study aims to determine if increasing injection points improves mapping success.

EpCAM-Targeted Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Nanotags for Rapid Evaluation of Surgical Margins and Sentinel Lymph Node Metastasis Status in Breast Cancers

For early breast cancer patients, breast-conserving surgery and sentinel lymph node biopsy have emerged as the cornerstone of precision oncology, harmonizing oncologic efficacy with the preservation of breast cosmetics and axillary function. However, conventional margin evaluation relies on subjective experience, leading to positive margin rates of 15%-50% Additionally, sentinel lymph node biopsy faces inherent technical limitations, including prolonged procedural time and significant false-negative rates in detecting micro-metastases. To overcome these challenges, the investigators will introduce a stable "sandwich" EpCAM-targeted surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) detection system to provide rapid evaluation of surgical margins and sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis status. In brief, a portion of resected tissue will be immediately homogenized by grinding, and the tissue homogenate will then be analyzed using this detection system to determine its histological characteristics. Pathological confirmation will further validate the method. This approach aims to improve the accuracy and efficiency of intraoperative assessment of breast-conserving surgical margins and SLN status, thereby effectively reducing local recurrence rates and complications.

Application of EndoScell Intraoperative Cellular Probing Technology for Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNB) is a common surgical treatment for breast cancer and a primary method for assessing the pathological status of axillary lymph nodes. Precise intraoperative detection of sentinel lymph nodes during surgery assists in timely evaluation of axillary lymph node pathology and helps in formulating further treatment strategies. Touch imprint cytology (TIC) is one of the most commonly used intraoperative detection techniques. The new intraoperative cellular detection technology, EndoScell Scanner (ES), uses an improved real-time miniaturized fluorescence microscopy system for image acquisition. The ultra-high-resolution images obtained can reach the cellular level. In previous studies, the accuracy and sensitivity of this technology for intraoperative detection of sentinel lymph nodes were comparable to imprint cytology, but it is much more rapid. The detection technology uses fluorescein sodium and methylene blue as fluorescent dyes, which is non-invasive and also non-consumptive of tissue samples. This study involves patients scheduled for sentinel lymph node biopsy and aims to evaluate the clinical application value of the EndoScell Scanner (ES) for intraoperative assessment of the pathological status of sentinel lymph nodes through a prospective self-controlled study. To avoid the potential impact of methylene blue on the ES detection technology, we will use mitoxantrone as a new dye for sentinel lymph node tracing in this study. The primary study objective is to compare the accuracy of the ES detection technology in assessing sentinel lymph node status, using paraffin pathology examination as the gold standard. The primary endpoint is the accuracy of the ES technology. Secondary endpoints include the image quality score of the ES detection, the learning curve of the surgeons, and the time required for detection.

Peritumoral Microbubbles and CEUS for SLN Detection and Biopsy in HNSCC

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is the sixth most common malignant tumor in the world. Cervical lymph node metastasis is frequently encounted on the date of diagnosis. Surgical resection is one of the most important treatment methods for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with or without lymph node metastasis. At present, for cN0 patients, prophylactic neck dissection is recommended for squamous cell carcinoma originating in suprglottic, hypopharyngeal and oropharyngeal areas et al. Related studies reported that less than 30% of patients with cN0 were confirmed to have lymph node metastasis in postoperative pathological examination, who underwent neck dissection. Unnecessary neck dissection may increase complication incidence, such as neurovascular injury, chylous leakage, sialosyrinx. Accurate preoperative assessment is helpful to reduce unnecessary neck dissection. Sentinel lymph node biopsy were proved to be effective in reducing prophylactic lymph node dissection in breast cancer, melanoma and other malignant tumors. Compared with γ probe detection and indolyanine green injection, microbubble and contrast-enhanced ultrasound has no radiation and disturbance to resection margins in sentinel lymph nodes detection. Furthermore, surgeons could conduct lymph node puncture biopsy simultaneously under ultrasound guidance, which can further minimize surgical trauma. At present, the role of microbubble and contrast-enhanced ultrasound in sentinel lymph node detection and biopsy is rarely reported in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. This study aims to explore the accuracy of peritumoral microbubbles and contrast-enhanced ultrasound for sentinel lymph nodes biopsy in predicting cervical lymph node metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Targeted Axillary Dissection (TAD) in Early-stage Node Positive Breast Cancer

RATIONALE: It is now standard for most breast cancer patients with 1-2 positive sentinel nodes to avoid completion node dissection when eligibility criteria from the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG) Z0011 trial are met. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recently proposed to extend this indication to patients that present with biopsy proven node positive disease if only 1 or 2 suspicious nodes are found on imaging, these positive nodes are not palpable clinically, and the other eligibility criteria from the Z0011 study are otherwise met. However, this recommendation is based on an expert consensus and no study has yet confirmed the optimal method to stage the axilla in this patient population. PURPOSE: Evaluate the technical success rate and accuracy of sentinel node biopsy (SNB) and the potential benefits of clipping and removing the biopsy proven node using radioactive seed localisation (RSL) (SNB+RSL = Targeted Axillary Dissection (TAD)) in patients with biopsy proven positive nodes, limited nodal disease in imaging and clinically negative axillary examination.

Correlation of Pelvic Sentinel Lymph Node With Superficial Vein

Pelvic Sentinel Lymph Node (SLN) biopsy is an important integral part of endometrial surgery. Although SLN is usually found on internal iliac artery, location is variable. Lymphatic pathways in pelvis determines the location (Obturator, internal iliac or external iliac vessel locations). Since it is accepted that the lymphatic channel formation during embryologic life follows venous system formation investigators hypothesized that the presence or absence of superior or deep uterine vein may determine the location of sentinel lymph node

Tumor-Targeted-NIR-II Fluorescent Molecular Probes for the Identification of Breast Cancer Tissue and SLN Metastatic Status

Accurate evaluation of tumor boundaries in breast-conserving surgery is closely associated with reducing the second operation of patients. Meanwhile, accurately assessing sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis is crucial for determining the extent of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) and minimizing complications. Near-infrared-II (NIR-II) fluorescence imaging using molecular agents has shown promise for in situ imaging during resection. However, very effective probes can be applied to clinical trials up to now, which limits the clinical application of fluorescence imaging. Here we developed a new technology that can quickly differentiation between cancer and para-cancer tissue as well as metastatic and normal sentinel lymph nodes(SLN). In brief, the fresh tissues were incubated with the probe immediately after intraoperative resection and imaged to identify the tumor area and distinguish the metastatic status of SLN. The accuracy of fluorescence imaging was confirmed by pathological diagnosis.

Sentinel Lymph Node in Early-Stage Endometrium Cancer

The aim of this prospective study is to investigate whether the detection rate of sentinel lymph node (SLN) with double tracer injected at two different sites may be increased compared to the standard use of a single tracer with single site (cervix) injection in early-stage endometrial cancer.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Early-Stage Ovarian Cancer

The primary goal of this prospective study is to define the efficacy of the sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) procedure by comparing it to the results obtained from systematic lymphadenectomy, each performed in participants with a suspicious adnexal mass for early-stage ovarian cancer.

Omission of SLNB in CN0 Early Breast Cancer

The OMSLNB trial adopts a prospective, single-arm, non-inferiority, phase-II, open-label study design. Patients with unilateral invasive breast cancer （tumor ≤3cm） and assessed as cN0 will be eligible for inclusion, enrolled patients are required to complete 2 or more imaging tests including axillary ultrasound assessed as axillary lymph node negative, and other tests including MRI, PET-CT, \[18F\]-FDG PET-MRI, eligible patients will avoid axillary surgery but will undergo breast surgery, which is not limited to breast-conserving surgery (BCS). So as to decrease the edema of upper arm, and finally improve the quality of life of the patients.

Minimally INvasive Colon Cancer Surgery Through IMmunomics and Optical Mapping of the Sentinel Lymph Node.

The project investigates the feasibility of laparoscopic fluorescent imaging for the intraoperative detection of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) in colon cancer patients. In addition, the topology of immunological and microenvironmental changes in normal and invaded lymph nodes (LN's) will be correlated to the LN location (anatomical mapping).