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[18F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in patients with suspected recurrence of breast cancer
Ehab M Kamel1, Matthias T Wyss, Mathias K Fehr
1Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Medical Radiology, University Hospital of Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
Aim:
To evaluate the role of [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in patients presenting with a suspicion of breast cancer relapse after primary treatment.
Materials And Methods:
Sixty consecutive female patients with clinical (n=35) or radiological (n=25) suspicion of breast cancer recurrence were evaluated by FDG-PET. Positive PET findings were further evaluated by histological examination or clinical and radiological follow-up. In 25 patients, the serum tumor marker (CA 15-3) status was compared to the PET results.
Results:
Disease relapse was proven in 40 patients. Additionally, in three patients a second cancer was diagnosed with (n=1), and without (n=2) concomitant disease relapse. PET missed local recurrence in three patients, and was false positive in another four. In patient-based analysis, the overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 89%, 84%, and 87%, and 100%, 97%, and 98% for locoregional recurrence and distant metastases, respectively. FDG-PET was more sensitive than the serum tumor marker CA 15-3 in detecting relapsed breast cancer.
Conclusion:
FDG-PET is a valuable tool in the follow-up of patients with breast cancer.
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