Clinical Impact of [18F]FDG-PET in Patients with Suspected Recurrent Breast Cancer Based on Asymptomatically Elevated Tumor Marker Serum Levels: a Preliminary Report

• Published in: Japanese journal of clinical oncology Vol. 32; no. 7; pp. 244 - 247
• Main Authors: Liu, Chiu-Shong, Shen, Yeh-You, Lin, Cheng-Chieh, Yen, Ruoh-Fang, Kao, Chia-Hung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 01.07.2002
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biomarkers, Tumor - analysis; Breast Neoplasms - diagnosis; Female; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; Humans; Key words: FDG-PET – tumor markers – CA15-3 – CEA – recurrent breast cancer; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Retrospective Studies; Tomography, Emission-Computed
• ISSN: 0368-2811; 1465-3621; 1465-3621
• DOI: 10.1093/jjco/hyf052

Objective: To evaluate retrospectively the impact of [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) on the detection of recurrent breast cancer based on asymptomatically elevated tumor markers levels. Methods: Whole-body FDG-PET was performed in 30 patients with suspected recurrent breast cancer and asymptomatic tumor marker increase but negative or equivocal other imaging modality results. A blood sample was drawn in each case for marker assay (CA 15-3 and CEA) on the same day as the FDG-PET. All of these 30 asymptomatic patients had either CA l5-3 >32 U/ml or CEA >5 ng/ml. The final diagnosis of recurrent breast cancer was established by operation/biopsy histopathological findings or clinical follow-up for >1 year by additional morphological imaging techniques. Results: Among the 30 patients, the final diagnosis of recurrent breast cancer was established in 38 sites in 28 patients. FDG-PET accurately detected 35/38 sites in 25/28 patients with recurrence. The diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy of FDG-PET in patients with suspected recurrent breast cancer and asymptomatically elevated tumor markers were 96 and 90%, respectively. Conclusions: FDG-PET is a useful technique for detecting recurrent breast cancer suspected from asymptomatically elevated tumor markers levels and has an important clinical impact on the management of these patients.