title: Follow-up with 18FDG-PET-CT after radical radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy allows the detection of potentially curable progressive disease in non-small cell lung cancer patients: a prospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Follow-up of patients treated with curative intent for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with X-ray or CT-scans is of unproven value. Furthermore, most patients with progressive disease present with symptoms outside of follow-up visits. Because the accuracy of (18)FDG-PET-CT is superior to CT, we hypothesised that FDG-PET-CT scans 3 months post-treatment could lead to early detection of progressive disease (PD) amenable for radical treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hundred patients with NSCLC, treated with curative intent with (chemo) radiation, were prospectively evaluated. All patients underwent a planned FDG-PET-CT scan 3 months after the start of radiotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty four patients had PD 3 months post-treatment. 16/24 patients were symptomatic. No curative treatment could be offered to any of these patients. In 3/8 asymptomatic patients progression, potentially amenable for radical therapy was found, which were all detected with PET, not with CT only.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PET-scanning after curative treatment for NSCLC led to the detection of progression potentially amenable for radical treatment in a small proportion (3%) of patients. Selectively offering a PET-CT scan to the patient group without symptoms could possibly lead to an effective follow-up method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology (Maastro Clinic), GROW Research Institute, University Medical Centre, Dr. Tanslaan 12, NL-6229 ET Maastricht, The Netherlands. Judith.vanloon@maastro.nl
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Loon
authors.forename: Janneke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grutters
authors.forename: Rinus
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wanders
authors.forename: Liesbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boersma
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oellers
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Dingemans
authors.forename: Gerben
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bootsma
authors.forename: Wiel
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Geraedts
authors.forename: Cordula
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pitz
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simons
authors.forename: Sakar Abdul
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Fatah
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Snoep
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hochstenbag
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lambin
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Ruysscher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000379:methods; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18