[2005 monitoring report: use of positron emission tomography with fluorodeoxyglucose in the management of patients...

The validity of the recommendations is based on their actualisation as well as on the quality of the initial elaboration process. Therefore the "Standards, Options and Recommendations" (SOR) from the National French federation of comprehensive cancer centres (FNCLCC) has set up a literature monitoring process.

To identify new data, which are likely to modify existing recommendations, evaluate their impact and inform potential users on their validity.

The monitoring process is based on 3 main steps lead in collaboration with experts: collect data, select and classify information and analyse information. Analysis of information consists of comparing the conclusions of new data with the conclusions of the initial report and then to identify the recommendations that need to be updated.

This article presents the 2005 monitoring report concerning "the use of positron emission tomography with FDG in the management of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and uterin cancer". Following the monitoring process,all the existing recommendations (initial report from 2003) are still valid. However three modifications have been proposed by the working group: 1) increased level of evidence concerning the use of PET-scan for suspicion of local or metastatic recurrence (option, level of evidence: A); 2) a new option for the use of PET-scan for revealed cervix cancer recurrence, especially for the therapeutic decision strategy (level of evidence: B2); and 3) new formulation (less strict) of the recommendation concerning the use of PET-scan in the management of endometrial cancer.