Le curage ganglionnaire dans le cancer de la prostate : une mise au point du comité de cancérologie de l'association française d'urologie

Lymph node invasion is the first step of metastatic evolution of prostate cancer. In this case, today, no local treatment should be proposed. Detection of lymph node invasion is performed by CT-scan and RMI, which show hypertrophied nodes. No difference in term of sensibility and specificity is observed between CT-scan and RMI. Invaded nodes are defined by modifications of size, form, and aspect of the architecture of nodes. Sentinel node belongs to expert centers. Surgical lymphadenectomy remains the best way to evaluate lymph node status. Limited to ilio-obturator land, it underestimates the risk of lymph node invasion: Extended lymph node excision defined by the association of bilateral ilio-obturator, internal iliaca and external iliaca lymphadenectomy should be systematically proposed to intermediate and high risk prostate cancer. A “well done” lymphadenectomy is represented by more than 10 nodes removed. Lymph node invasion represents bad prognosis. However, therapeutic value and influence of prognosis of lymphadenectomy in prostate cancer is still not established. Therefore, one or two invade lymph nodes represented a population of patients with better prognosis, specially if no capsular effraction is observed. After radical prostatectomy, in case of lymph node invasion, immediate hormonotherapy is the standard; however, this treatment is discussed in case of low number of invaded nodes (one or two) and if postoperative PSA is equal to zero. In this case, radiotherapy is still in evaluation and chemotherapy has no indication.