A retrospective analysis: follow-up with FDG-PET/CT in oro- and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients.

Abstract

Abstract Objective This study evaluated the significance of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in detecting recurrences or other primary malignancies in patients treated for oro- and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Method A retrospective analysis of the follow up of 132 patients was performed and 370 PET/CT scans were assessed for their accuracy. Results All asymptomatic clinical occult recurrences were detected by PET/CT and accounted for 28 per cent of recurrences. Asymptomatic patients with metastases detected by PET/CT had a significant survival benefit compared to patients diagnosed in a symptomatic stage. For locoregional recurrence, no significant difference in overall survival could be demonstrated. In total, 33 primary malignancies were discovered, of which 48 per cent were first detected by PET/CT. The specificity and negative predictive value of the PET/CT scans had ranges of 85–100 and 83–100 per cent, respectively. Conclusion The role of PET/CT scans in detecting primary malignancies, clinical occult recurrences and especially asymptomatic metastases was observed.