Sentinel lymph node biopsy in head and neck tumors: current status from the standpoint of evidence-based medicine. The role of radioisotope diagnostics (literature review)

The article provides an overview of recent publications on the clinical efficacy, safety, and technological aspects of radionuclide sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with early forms of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The results of four randomized trials and a large meta-analysis in 2022, data from systematic reviews in 2023–2024, prospective cohorts from Europe and Asia, as well as a series of observations performed using the 99mTc human albumin nanocolloid ("Nanotope") were analyzed. A separate section discusses the physico-chemical and clinical advantages of the radionuclide method in comparison with alternative tracers.