Colorectal Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Colorectal Cancer, including details on symptoms, genetics, screening, treatment, information. | ||||||||
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The impact of 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography on the staging and management of primary rectal cancer.Davey K, Heriot AG, Mackay J, Drummond E, Hogg A, Ngan S, Milner AD, Hicks RJ Department of Surgical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. PURPOSE: 18-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG PET-CT) has a role in recurrent colorectal cancer. This study was designed to assess the impact of PET-CT on management of primary rectal cancer. METHODS: Eighty-three patients with rectal cancer underwent PET-CT scan between 2002 and 2005. Referring physicians prospectively recorded stage and management plan after conventional imaging before PET-CT scan, which were compared to subsequent stage and management after PET-CT. RESULTS: Staging PET-CT caused a change in stage from conventional imaging in 26 patients (31 percent). Twelve (14 percent) were upstaged (7 change in N stage; 4 change in M stage; 1 change in N and M stage), and 14 (17 percent) were downstaged (10 change in N stage; 3 change in M stage; 1 change in N and M stage). PET-CT scan altered management intent in seven patients (8 percent) (curative to palliative 6 patients; palliative to curative 1 patient). Management was altered in ten patients (12 percent). There was no difference in impact with respect to tumor height. CONCLUSIONS: PET-CT scan impacts the management of patients with primary rectal cancer and influences staging/therapy in a third of patients and should be a component of rectal cancer workup. Published 3 July 2008 in Dis Colon Rectum, 51(7): 997-1003.
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