ICG in Colon Cancer

Overview

The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of indocyanine green (ICG) injection in fluorescence-guided lymphatic mapping during laparoscopic colon cancer resection. This is a single-center prospective single-arm pilot clinical study that will include at least 25 patients with resectable colon cancer. All enrolled patients will undergo intraoperative subserosal ICG-guided lymphatic mapping before dissection, and intravenous ICG perfusion assessment before anastomosis. The primary goal is to determine the proportion of analyzable pN+ patients in whom all metastatic lymph nodes identified on final histopathology are located within the ICG-mapped lymphatic basin.

Adequate lymphadenectomy is a key component of curative colon cancer surgery because lymph node status is essential for accurate staging and postoperative treatment planning. Indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging has become increasingly used intraoperatively to make otherwise invisible lymphatic pathways visible in real time. Preoperative and Perioperative Care: All patients will undergo standard preoperative evaluation including colonoscopy with biopsy confirmation, baseline laboratory investigations, carcinoembryonic antigen measurement, and contrast-enhanced CT staging. Perioperative care will follow an enhanced recovery pathway including counseling, thromboembolism prophylaxis, antibiotic prophylaxis, multimodal analgesia, early mobilization, and early oral intake. Operative Protocol: Laparoscopic oncologic colectomy will be performed according to tumor location. Fluorescence imaging will be performed using the KARL STORZ IMAGE1 STM Rubina platform. Indocyanine green will be injected subserosally around the tumor in four quadrants whenever feasible. Near-infrared imaging will then be used to identify lymphatic channels and nodal basins before definitive mesenteric division. Any fluorescence-related modification of the extent of mesenteric excision or pedicle clearance will be recorded prospectively. Before bowel anastomosis, intravenous indocyanine green will be used to assess perfusion of the bowel ends by near-infrared fluorescence imaging. Pathology and Follow-up: The mapped area will be identified on the specimen by sutures or clips or separately labeled packets, allowing the pathologist to record metastatic lymph nodes as located within or outside the ICG-mapped basin. Patients will be followed during hospital admission and for 3, 6, and 9 months after surgery to record postoperative complications, final histopathological outcomes, and morbidity according to the Clavien-Dindo classification