Is PET Useful in Management of Colorectal Metastases?

Combining PET with CT does not provide additional benefit for most patients with liver-only metastases.

The use of additional advanced imaging technology is thought to provide additional clinical information that aids clinical decision making. To test whether adding PET (positron emission tomography) to CT (computed tomography) improves the management of patients with metastatic cancer, investigators in Canada conducted a randomized multicenter study of 404 patients with potentially resectable liver-only metastases, as identified by CT scans of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis. Patients also had clear colonoscopy.

Patients were randomized 2 to 1 to receive PET-CT versus no PET-CT (controls). Outcomes included a change in management of hepatic and other surgery and overall survival (OS).

Liver resection was completed in 91% of patients in the PET-…

Reviewing Author

Henry Mark Kuerer, MD, PhD, FACS

Disclosures

Speaker's BureauPhysicians’ Education Resource, LLC

RoyaltiesMcGraw-Hill Professional; UpToDate, Inc.

Editorial BoardsAnnals of Surgical Oncology

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Breast Surgeons (Chair, Publications Committee)