BackgroundSentinel node (SN) biopsy (SNB) detects clinically occult metastases of breast cancer and melanoma in 20–30%. Wound infections, seroma and lymph edema occur in up to 10%. Targeted ultrasound (US) of the SN, (with fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) if appropriate) has been investigated as a minimally invasive alternative, but reported sensitivity rates are too low to replace SNB. Our hypothesis is that the use of a handheld gamma probe concomitant with US may improve sensitivity.Our aim is to provide an overview of the current literature on preoperative nodal staging of clinical N0 melanoma patients, report on a pilot, and present a study protocol for a minimally invasive alternative to the SNB: Gamma probe and Ultrasound guided Fine needle aspiration cytology of the sentinel node (GULF trial).MethodsThe GULF trial is a multicenter open single arm observational trial. Newly diagnosed cT1b-4N0M0 cutaneous melanoma or cT1-3N0M0 breast cancer patients, aged >18 years, presenting for SNB are eligible. 120 patients will be included for preoperative targeted gamma probe guided US and FNAC of the SN. Afterwards all patients proceed to surgical SNB. Primary endpoint is the sensitivity of FNAC. Secondary endpoints include SN identification rate and the histopathological compatibility of Core Needle Biopsy and FNAC vs. SNB. Secondary endpoints were investigated in a pilot with 10 FNACs and marker placements, and 10 FNACs combined with Core Needle Biopsy.ResultsA pilot in 20 patients showed that SN identification rate was 90%, supporting the feasibility of this technique.DiscussionThere is broad experience with US (in combination with FNAC) prior to SNB, but sensitivity and specificity are too low to completely abandon SNB. Promising alternative techniques potentially will replace SNB in the future but more evidence is needed in the form of prospective studies. Accurate identification of the SN for US-FNAC has been proven feasible in our pilot. When adequate sensitivity can be reached, US-FNAC provides a minimally invasive alternative for the surgical SNB procedure.Trial registrationThe GULF trial is registered in the Netherlands Trial Registry (NTR), ID: NRT5193. May 1st 2015.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-017-3236-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Background: In some Dutch pancreatic surgery centers, patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) for ampullary cancer undergo surveillance for colorectal cancer (CRC), since an association is suggested in contemporary literature. This study aimed to examine the CRC incidence after PD for ampullary cancer in four pancreatic surgery centers and a Dutch nationwide cohort. Methods: All patients who underwent resection of ampullary cancer from 2005 through 2017 at four centers were included. All colonoscopies and CRC diagnoses in these patients were recorded. In addition all PDs for ampullary cancer in the Dutch Pathology Registry (2000e2017) were recorded along with the CRC diagnoses and compared with an age, sex, and year-matched cohort. Results: Out of 287 included patients by the four centers, 11% underwent a colonoscopy within one year after PD. Eight (2.7%) were diagnosed with CRC before PD and two (0.7%), at 14 and 72 months after PD. In the nationwide cohort comparison, the CRC incidence was similar before (2.6% versus 1.9%, P ¼ 0.424) and after surgery (2.1% versus 3.1%, P ¼ 0.237). Within one year after PD, the incidence was 0.3% compared to 0.6% in the matched controls (P ¼ 0.726). Conclusions: The current study could not find an increased risk of CRC in patients with resected ampullary cancer. Therefore, there is insufficient justification to screen for CRC in patients with resected ampullary cancer.

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