Could a dye and camera spare esophageal cancer patients from extensive lymph node removal?
NCT ID NCT04400292
First seen Jul 07, 2026 · Last updated Jul 08, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study explores whether a dye called indocyanine green (ICG) and a special camera can help surgeons find the first lymph nodes that esophageal cancer may spread to. If this 'sentinel lymph node' mapping works, future surgeries might remove only those key nodes instead of all nearby lymph nodes. The trial involves 90 adults with distal esophageal or esophagogastric junction cancer who are already scheduled for minimally invasive esophagectomy.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Indocyanine green (ICG) dye
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this approach could allow surgeons to remove only key lymph nodes instead of all of them, reducing surgical side effects.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage study with only 90 participants, and the technique may not reliably identify all affected nodes, limiting its use.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
-
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (All Protocol Activities)
New York, New York, 10065, United States
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