Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping in Esophageal Cancer Using ICG Dye and NIR Imaging

Does the Concept of the Sentinel Lymph Node Apply to Esophageal Cancer? A Prospective Assessment of Near-infrared Image-guided Lymphatic Mapping and Sentinel Lymph Node Identification in Esophageal Cancer

The purpose of this study is to find out whether sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping with ICG dye and NIR imaging can be used to identify esophageal or esophagogastric junction cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes. If SLN mapping is successful in these types of cancer, surgeons in the future could identify the sentinel lymph nodes and only remove these instead of removing all the lymph nodes which is currently done.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Pathological diagnosis of adenocarcinoma tumor located in distal 1/3 of esophagus or esophagogastric junction , with a plan to undergo minimally invasive esophagectomy.
• All patients with Stage IVA (AJCC Cancer Staging Manual, 8th edition) disease will be eligible
• ≥18 years of age.
• Documented, signed, and dated informed consent, obtained before any procedures, for the proposed research study and for standard surgical resection.

Exclusion Criteria:

• No plan to undergo surgical resection.
• Severe iodide or seafood allergy.
• Women of childbearing potential without a negative pregnancy test; or women who are lactating.
• Prior diagnosis of severe hepatic or renal dysfunction.
• Patients with Stage IVB or M1 disease (AJCC Cancer Staging Manual, 8th edition)
• Patients with local recurrence and planning to undergo salvage esophagectomy