Impact of initial FDG PET/CT in the management plan of patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer

Abstract

Initial FDG PET/CT staging not only improves stage but also affects the management plan in LAHNC patients.

Influence of FDG-PET on primary nodal target volume definition for head and neck carcinomas

“…This is in concordance with literature, reporting a PET/CT-based change in patient management in 6-31% (Table 5) [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27].…”

“…Several studies have reported how FDG-PET/CT led to a change in patient management in 6-57% of the cases [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. This included upstaging, downstaging as well as diagnosing synchronic lesions and distant metastasis.…”

“…Four studies attempted to verify imaging finding with pathological specimens [20][21][22]26]. Delouya performed 10 biopsies for lymph nodes that were discordant between modalities and all were of benign histology.…”

Medical imaging in personalised medicine: a white paper of the research committee of the European Society of Radiology (ESR)

“…Improved staging with the use of imaging might help in avoiding unnecessary surgical interventions, which increases the morbidity of disease without a substantial benefit in the reduction of mortality. On the other hand upstaging can lead to the choice of more aggressive therapies, which may reduce the recurrence rate [ 25 , 26 ].…”