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.
Chin
Kimberly
K
The New York Eye Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA. kchin@eyecancer.com
Finger
Paul T
PT
Kurli
Madhavi
M
Tena
Lawrence B
LB
Reddy
Shantan
S
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