The efficacy of screening with FDG-PET/CT for distant metastases in breast cancer patients scheduled for neoadjuvant systemic therapy

• Published in: Breast cancer research and treatment 2024-09
• Main Authors: Gunster, Jetske L B, van Duijnhoven, Frederieke H, Scholten, Astrid N, Smorenburg, Carolien H, Dezentje, Vincent O, van Olmen, Josefien P, Marijnen, Corrie A M, Stokkel, Marcel P M, Loo, Claudette E, Schrijver, A Marjolein
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0167-6806; 1573-7217; 1573-7217
• DOI: 10.1007/s10549-024-07478-5

This study aims to identify which breast cancer patients benefit from the routine use of FDG-PET/CT in a large cohort of patients scheduled for neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST). A total of 1337 breast cancer patients eligible for NST were identified from a retrospective database between 2011 and 2020 at a single tertiary care hospital. All patients underwent staging with FDG-PET/CT prior to NST. The incidence and extent of asymptomatic distant metastases in different patient subgroups were determined, as well as the impact on treatment. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify prognostic patient and tumor characteristics. FDG-PET/CT detected distant metastases in 109 patients (8%). Initial clinical stage was a prognostic factor for the presence of distant metastases, with a significantly higher risk for stage 2b and 3 as opposed to lower stages (p