Second cancers discovered by (18)FDG PET/CT imaging for choroidal melanoma.
BACKGROUND
Positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is a unique imaging tool that aids in the detection of cancerous lesions. It is currently and widely used for cancer staging (both initial and follow-up). Here we report our findings of second primary cancers incidentally discovered during PET/CT staging of patients with choroidal melanomas.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective case review of 139 patients with uveal melanoma who were subsequently evaluated by whole-body [18-fluorine-labeled] 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose ((18)FDG) PET/CT imaging. In this series, 93 were scanned before treatment and 46 during the course of their follow-up systemic examinations. Their mean follow-up was 50.9 months.


RESULTS
Six patients (4.3%) had second primary cancers revealed by PET/CT imaging. Three patients (50%) were synchronous (found at initial staging), and the remaining 3 patients (50%) were metachronous (found at follow-up staging). Second primary cancers were found in the lung, breast, uterus, colon, and thyroid.


CONCLUSIONS
Although whole-body PET/CT scans were ordered as part of the staging process of patients with diagnosed choroidal melanoma, both synchronous and metachronous second primary cancers were found. PET/CT has become an indispensable tool for staging, diagnosis, and treatment planning for choroidal melanoma. The possibility of detecting second primary cancers should also be considered valuable.
The New York Eye Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA. kchin@eyecancer.com
Kimberly
K
Chin
Paul T
PT
Finger
Madhavi
M
Kurli
Lawrence B
LB
Tena
Shantan
S
Reddy
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002830:Choroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012811:Sigmoid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18