JNM
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

First published online September 15, 2008, 10.2967/jnumed.108.053660
This Article
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
jnumed.108.053660v1
49/10/1593    most recent
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Related articles in JNM
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Scott, A. M.
Right arrow Articles by Lin, P.
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Scott, A. M.
Right arrow Articles by Lin, P.
Journal of Nuclear Medicine Vol. 49 No. 10 1593-1600
© 2008 by Society of Nuclear Medicine
doi: 10.2967/jnumed.108.053660

Clinical Investigation

PET Changes Management and Improves Prognostic Stratification in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer: Results of a Multicenter Prospective Study

Andrew M. Scott1,2, Dishan H. Gunawardana1, Dylan Bartholomeusz3, Jayne E. Ramshaw4 and Peter Lin5

1 Centre for PET and Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; 2 Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; 3 Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET and Bone Densitometry, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia; 4 Australian and New Zealand Association of Physicians in Nuclear Medicine, Melbourne, Australia; and 5 Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, Australia

Correspondence: For correspondence or reprints contact: Andrew M. Scott, Centre for PET, Austin Hospital, Studley Rd., Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia. E-mail: andrew.scott{at}ludwig.edu.au

The primary aim of this study was to determine the impact of PET in changing initial management plans in patients with untreated head and neck cancer. Secondary aims were to determine the incremental staging information provided by PET and to document the effect of PET on treatment outcomes. Methods: Patients with untreated head and neck cancer underwent PET scans. Pre-PET management plans were documented by referring clinicians unaware of the PET results, and management plan changes due to PET scan findings were documented. Follow-up to 12 mo after treatment was performed to determine actual management and clinical outcomes. Results: A total of 71 patients (median age, 56 y; 69% male) were studied. PET scans resulted in management change in 33.8% of patients. Moreover, PET was able to detect additional sites of disease in 39.4% of patients. Follow-up data showed that PET improved the classification of patients into curative and palliative categories. Trends toward inferior disease-free survival and lower complete response rates in patients with additional lesions detected on PET were demonstrated. In addition, a trend toward inferior disease-free survival in patients with a higher maximum standardized uptake value was shown. Conclusion: These data unequivocally demonstrate the significant impact of PET on management and outcomes in patients with untreated head and neck cancer.

Key Words: PET • head and neck cancer

COPYRIGHT © 2008 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine, Inc.


Related articles in JNM:

This Month in JNM

JNM 2008 49: 11A-12A. [Full Text]  





HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE TECHNOLOGY THE JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE
Copyright © 2008 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine.