Effect of PET/CT on management of patients with non - Small cell lung cancer: Results of a prospective study with 5-year survival data

Abstract

We investigated the incremental management impact and prognostic value of staging with 18F-FDG PET/CT in patients with non - small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) being considered for potentially curative therapies. Methods: Information on 168 consecutive patients with NSCLC being considered for surgery or definitive radiotherapy with curative intent before PET/CT was entered into a prospective database. The pre-PET/CT management plan, based on conventional imaging (conventional CT, appropriately supplemented by bone scintigraphy or other modalities), was defined prospectively by referring clinicians before PET/CT results became available. After PET/CT, actual clinical management was recorded, and ..