[Significance of lymph nodes in tumor surgery. Value of minimally invasive staging].

Malignant tumors require an exact staging in order to initiate individual tumor related therapeutic concepts to avoid unnecessary explorative laparotomy and to compare different treatment regimes. The assessment of the lymph node status with regard to tumor involvement using any of the actual imaging methods is quite unsatisfactory. For the improvement of the pretherapeutic tumor staging including N-classification the diagnostic laparoscopy and laparoscopic sonography are presently being evaluated. Both methods should be carried out according to a standardized investigation record. When limited to the pure diagnostic aspect, the morbidity is approx. 2%. Low patient figures with different tumor entities, insufficient information on the simultaneous occurrence of lymph node and distant metastases and/or of a peritoneal carcinomatosis as well as on the extent of the lymphadenectomy and histopathologic outcomes restrict the signifying value of many studies. It seems to be only clear that, when using the laparoscopic sonography, the sensitivity of the evidence of lymph node metastases increases in comparison with the sole laparoscopy. Definite recommendations based upon the outcomes with the required evidence, can presently neither be made with regard to the use of the method in general nor for the laparoscopic lymph node staging in particular. The use with regard to a lymph node assessment from today's point of view seems to be appropriate above all in case of: Suspect of an advanced tumor stage (existence of M1 lymphomas) For the indication in case of justified application of multimodal therapeutic concepts (exact tumor staging/N-classification). Beyond this, the laparoscopy for lymph node staging should only be used in conjunction with prospective randomized studies. Sufficient experience in the field of laparoscopic surgery and sonography as well as compliance with the rules of action for the prevention of tumor cell conveyance should be demanded.