Elsevier

Journal of Thoracic Oncology

Volume 3, Issue 2, February 2008, Pages 135-139
Journal of Thoracic Oncology

Original Article
The Effect of FDG-PET on the Stage Distribution of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

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Purpose

To study the impact of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) on stage distribution and survival for patients with newly diagnosed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

We searched the Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine database for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) diagnosed between January 1, 1990 and December 31, 2004. Since the use of FDG-PET increased in our institution in the year 2000, patients were subdivided into those diagnosed before or after January 1, 2000. We compared the stage distribution of NSCLC before and after the year 2000. We also compared the survival for patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2004 staged with or without FDG-PET.

Results

We identified 6118 patients diagnosed with NSCLC, with 3765 (61%) diagnosed before the year 2000 and 2362 (39%) thereafter. The use of FDG-PET was significantly increased after the year 2000 (37% versus 7%, p < 0.001) and there was a significant increase in the proportion of stage IV patients (30–37%, p < 0.001) with an associated decrease in stages I and III. Median overall survival was increased in all patients with stage IV disease diagnosed after the year 2000 (5.8 months versus 4.5 months). Patients with stage III or IV disease staged with FDG-PET scan also had improved survival compared with those undergoing conventional staging

Conclusion

The increased use of FDG-PET was associated with a stage migration in patients with NSCLC, which may partially account for improvements in survival as compared with historical controls.

Key Words

PET
Outcomes
Non-small cell lung cancer
Staging
Stage distribution
Population

Cited by (0)

Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Goodgame D, Morgensztern L, Groove R, Govindan R. Non-small cell lung cancer in the new millennium: the effect of FEG-PET on stage distribution. J Clin Oncol 2006;24(20 Suppl):7205. Presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings Part I. Atlanta, Georgia. June 2–6, 2006