title: PET/CT Imaging for Monitoring Recurrence and Evaluating Response to Treatment in Breast Cancer.
abstract: Monitoring recurrence and evaluating response to therapy are important aspects of clinical decision making in the treatment of breast cancer. In this literature review, the authors highlight several of the key areas where integrated fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) measurements are anticipated to have a significant impact on monitoring recurrence and evaluating response to therapy. These areas include comparing FDG PET/CT with conventional imaging for detecting breast cancer metastases; evaluating the role of FDG PET/CT in the presence of elevated tumor markers during follow-up period after the primary surgery; using FDG PET/CT to assess response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), targeted and endocrine therapies; using FDG PET/CT to predict response to NAC according to different molecular phenotypes of breast cancer; and applying PET/CT and some new breast-related PET tracers to evaluate response to anticancer treatment. The authors consider the relative advantages afforded by PET/CT and summarize current evidence as to the likely value of PET/CT in recurrence detection and anticancer treatment response prediction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemotherapy Center, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemotherapy Center, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemotherapy Center, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Zhanhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010641:Phenotype; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: FDG PET; breast cancer; treatment monitoring