Preoperative PET/CT in early-stage breast cancer

The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic and therapeutic impact of preoperative positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) in the initial staging of patients with early-stage breast cancer.

A total of 103 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed operable breast cancer with tumors ≥2 cm were independently examined preoperatively with conventional assessment (mammography, breast/axillary ultrasound, chest X-ray and blood samples) and PET/CT with no prior knowledge of the other.

PET/CT identified a primary tumor in all but three patients (97%). PET/CT solely detected distant metastases (ovary, bones and lung) in 6 patients and new primary cancers (ovary, lung) in another two patients, as well as 12 cases of extra-axillary lymph node involvement. In 15 patients (15%), extra-axillary malignancy was detected by PET/CT only, leading to an upgrade of initial staging in 14% (14/103) and ultimately a modification of planned treatment in 8% (8/103) of patients.

PET/CT is a valuable tool to provide information on extra-axillary lymph node involvement, distant metastases and other occult primary cancers. Preoperative (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose-PET/CT has a substantial impact on initial staging and on clinical management in patients with early-stage breast cancer with tumors ≥2 cm.