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. 2012 Aug;41(6):897-903.
doi: 10.1097/MPA.0b013e318252f4f5.

The value of positron emission tomography/computed tomography for evaluating metastatic disease in patients with pancreatic cancer

Mi-Jin Kim  1 , Kwang Hyuck Lee, Kyu Taek Lee, Jong Kyun Lee, Bon-Ho Ku, Cho-Rong Oh, Jin Seok Heo, Seong-Ho Choi, Dong Wook Choi
Affiliations

The value of positron emission tomography/computed tomography for evaluating metastatic disease in patients with pancreatic cancer

Mi-Jin Kim et al. Pancreas. 2012 Aug.

Abstract

Objectives: Routine application of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for pancreatic cancer staging remains a controversial approach. The purpose of this study was to reassess the clinical impact of PET/CT for the detection of distant metastasis of pancreatic cancer.

Methods: From January 2006 to June 2009, 125 patients with histologically proven pancreatic cancer that had undergone PET/CT at our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. To evaluate the clinical efficacy of PET/CT on the management plan, the post-PET/CT management plans were compared with the pre-PET/CT management plans.

Results: After the conventional staging workup, we determined that 76 patients (60.8%) had resectable lesions, whereas 48 patients had unresectable lesions. One patient underwent explorative laparotomy due to equivocal resectability. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography diagnosed distant metastasis in only 2 (2.6%) of the 76 patients with resectable lesions, and these patients did not undergo unnecessary surgical treatment. Complete resection was not performed in 8 of the 74 operative patients because they had distant metastasis detected during the operative procedure. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography diagnosed distant metastasis in 32 of the 44 patients with metastatic lesions that were histologically shown to have sensitivity of 72.7%.

Conclusions: Positron emission tomography/computed tomography has a limited role in the evaluation of metastatic disease from pancreatic cancer.

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