N-status evaluation in patients with lung cancer: problems and solutions(review)

Summary. Staging of non-small cell lung cancer remains an important question of modern oncology. Correct N-status of patients one of the unsolved problem. There are invasive and non-invasive methods for detection N-status. CT or CT/PET one of the most frequently used methods. But this methods unable to assessed stage of disease carefully. There are lots of methods in a literature that described detection of micromethastasis in visually intact lymph nodes: simple pathomorphologic assessment, immunohistochemical assessment with cytoceratines in combination with p53, lymphoscintigraphy, immunomagnetic separation, flowcythometry, polymerase chain reaction. Unfortunately there are no any methods than satisfied for all oncologists. That’s why lots of problem needs for solving. First of all adequate diagnostic of micromethastasis in lymph nodes. Than separation of factors that influence for methastasing. Third, investigation of survival prognosis in patients with metastatic involvement of lymph nodes. After that necessary to define ways of treatment for each patient.