Aim:

Radical prostatectomy is the standard treatment in localized prostate cancer. The limited or extended lymph node dissection in pelvic region is additionally applied to this procedure. We aimed to review the publications about the recently popularized extended pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND).

New Findings:

The extended PLND is not suggested in patients with low risk prostate cancer. On the other hand, extended PLND is suggested to make a good staging and treat the micrometastasis in patients with intermediate and high risk prostate cancer. The complication rates of PLND are acceptable in comparison with the benefits. The benefits of other expansive methods for clinical staging are still lower than PLND.

Conclusion:

However, prospective and randomized clinical trials are needed to investigate the efficiency of PLND in localized prostate cancer, PLND has important role with good oncological results in patients with intermediate and high risk prostate cancer.

Keywords: Pelvic lymph node dissection; Prostate cancer; Radical prostatectomy