18F-FDG PET/CT for Monitoring of Treatment Response in Breast Cancer

Abstract

Cancer breast is a leading cause of death and the most common cancer in women, its prevention remains a challenge, thus early and accurate diagnosis are mandatory to achieve this target. PET-CT provides the needed information about both the metabolic activity as well the anatomical location of the neoplasm combining the advantages of both conventional methods, CT and PET. The present study evaluated 25 female patients with breast cancer who were previously operated by PET/CT for post-treatment follow up, monitoring treatment of breast cancer and assessment of recurrence. FDG-PET-CT is generally more sensitive in the detection of distant metastases and is therefore a more accurate method of determining recurrence of the disease. One exception is the detection of sclerotic bone metastases as these lesions are often not metabolically active enough to be detected by FDG-PET. Bone scintigraphy could help in such cases. FDG-PET-CT is highly useful for monitoring response to therapeutic interventions. This technique can identify response to therapy earlier than any other imaging method currently available which greatly improves patient management by allowing termination of ineffective and toxic therapies.