Analysis of Metabolic Patterns of Recurrence on PET-CT for Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer (LAHNC) Patients Treated Definitively by IMRT-The Impact of PET-CT for Treatment Planning and Surveillance: Preliminary Results

Abstract

Local recurrence is common in locally advanced head and neck cancer after definitive chemo-radiation (CRT). PET-CT use in post-treatment assessment and surveillance of patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer has increased, however, false positivity in post-treatment PET-CT can occur leading to needless intervention. We sought to evaluate pre and post-treatment PET-CT of patients treated with definitive CRT to identify metabolic response patterns that could predict recurrence.