Abstract
Abstract Background: The prognosis and clinical management of patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer depends on the extent of disease. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic and therapeutic impact of preoperative PET/CT, using 18F-FDG in the initial extra-axillary staging of patients with early breast cancer, to the results of conventional assessment. One hundred patients are planned enrolled. We here report the results of the first fifty consecutive patients. Patients and methods: Fifty consecutive patients with newly diagnosed early operable breast cancer with tumors ≥2 cm were examined preoperatively with conventional assessment (mammography, breast/axilla ultrasound, chest x-ray and blood samples) and PET/CT. Conventional assessment and PET/CT were evaluated independently with no prior knowledge of the other. Distant metastases/new primary cancers found on PET/CT were confirmed histologically, by other imaging modalities or with at least 1 year of follow-up. Results: The mean age was 56 ± 11 years. PET/CT identified primary tumor in all but two patients (96%). Nine cases of extra-axillary lymph node involvement were solely revealed by PET/CT in the internal mammary chain (n=7) and the supraclavicular region (n=2). Additionally, PET/CT solely detected distant metastasis (ovary, bone) in two patients and new primary cancers (ovary, lung) in another two patients. Two patients (4%) had non-malignant focal uptake of 18F-FDG confirmed with histologic biopsies (schwannoma, colon adenoma). In 12 patients (24%) extra-axillary malignancy was detected by PET/CT only, leading to an upgrade of initial staging in 20% (10/50) of patients and ultimately a modification of planned treatment in 4 (8%) patients. No patient was down staged by PET/CT. Conclusion: PET/CT is a valuable tool to provide information on extra-axillary lymph node involvement, distant metastases and other occult primary cancers. Preoperative 18F-FDG-PET/CT has a substantially impact on initial staging and on clinical management in patients with early stage breast cancer. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-01-08.
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