Impact of FDG PET on Defining the Extent of Disease and on the Treatment of Patients with Recurrent or Metastatic Breast Cancer

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Abstract
OBJECTIVE. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of FDG PET on defining the extent of disease and on the treatment of patients with advanced breast cancer.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The medical records of 125 consecutive patients with recurrent or metastatic breast cancer referred for FDG PET from January 1998 through May 2002 were retrospectively reviewed. The rationale for FDG PET referral and the impact of FDG PET on subsequent treatment decisions for patients were determined by chart review. The impact of FDG PET on defining the extent of disease was determined by comparing the FDG PET interpretation at the time of the examination with findings from conventional imaging (CI) performed before FDG PET. FDG PET results were confirmed in nearly half (n = 61) of the patients by histopathology (n = 23) or follow-up imaging (n = 38; mean follow-up interval, 21.3 months).RESULTS. Patients were referred for FDG PET for the following reasons: evaluation of disease response or viability after therapy (n = 43 [35%]), lo...

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