Summary:
The aim of our stydy was to evaluate the clinical impact of FDG PET/CT in
restaging breast cancer patients with rising tumor markers and negative or
equivocal findings in conventional imaging studies. We studied 46 patients with
breast cancer of an average age of 57.6 years (ranging from 38 to 68 years).
All patients were referred for an FDG PET/CT scan because of elevated tumor
markers, without any other obvious clinical or laboratory sign of relapse.
Conventional imaging studies results were either negative (29/46) or
inconclusive (17/46). All patients underwent a whole body FDG PET/CT scan, in a
combined PET/CT tomography. Findings were confirmed by an at least nine month
follow-up, and when it was possible, final diagnosis was obained by
histopathology.
In 34/46 patients, FDG PET/CT demonstrated sites of increased metabolic
activity, indicating active disease. In 23/46 patients therapeutic approach and
further clinical management was affected. FDG PET/CT was true positive in 33
patients, false positive in 1 patient, false negative in 5 patients and true
negative in 7 patients. On the basis of our results FDG PET/CT in this
population, has a sensitivity of 86.8%, specificity 87.5% and accuracy of
86.9%. The positive prognostic value is 97.1% and the negative prognostic value
58.3%. Clinical management was affected in 50% of these patients.The results of
the present study indicate that hybrid study FDG PET/CT plays an important role
in restaging breast cancer patients with rising tumor markers and negative or
equivocal findings in conventional imaging techniques.
Keywords:
Breast cancer, PET/CT, CT, Tumor markers, Restaging
