The role of integrated 18F-FDG PET-CT as a staging tool for limited-stage small cell lung cancer: A retrospective study

Byeong S. Sohn, Dae H. Lee, Eun K. Kim, Dok H. Yoon, Hye O. Kim, Jin Sook Ryu, Sang We Kim, Cheolwon Suh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) could be used as part of the staging work-up in patients with limited-stage disease (LD) small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Patients and Methods: Between January 2002 and December 2007, a total of 73 patients with presumed LD on CT, who underwent a PET-CT scan, were included in this study. Results: Conventional work-up revealed distant metastases in 12 patients. Out of 61 patients diagnosed as LD SCLC, PET-CT found unexpected distant metastases in 15 (24.6%) patients (LD/extensive-stage disease (ED)) of whom 13 (21.3%) were upstaged as a consequence. In 10 (76.9%) of the 13 upstaged patients, treatment was changed. The median survival of LD/LD SCLC patients who underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy and chemotherapy only was 21.9 and 17.5 months, respectively. The median survival of LD/ED and ED/ED SCLC patients who received chemotherapy only was 17.4 and 14.1 months, respectively. The median survival of LD/LD SCLC patients who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy was superior to that of LD/ ED and ED/ED patients who received chemotherapy only (p = 0.037 and 0.004, respectively). Conclusion: The addition of PET-CT seems to allow more accurate staging and may thus protect a percentage of SCLC patients from potentially futile and toxic radiotherapy.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)432-438
Number of pages7
JournalOnkologie
Volume35
Issue number7-8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2012

Keywords

  • Computed tomography
  • Limited stage
  • Positron emission tomography
  • Small cell lung cancer

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