FDG-PET has not been studied for surveillance in patients with ATC. A limited number of reports of FDG-PET studies in patients with ATC are available. Jadvar et al described that FDG-PET correctly detected anaplastic thyroid cancer along with other rare tumors evaluation. Conti et al found positive findings in a patient with anaplastic carcinoma in a study of thyroid cancer by FDG-PET. McDougall et al also reported positive FDG-PET findings in the evaluation of patients with recurrent anaplastic thyroid cancer. Thus, FDG-PET may have a positive impact in the follow-up of patients with ATC after initial resection for the detection of residual or metastatic disease and also in patients with advanced disease who underwent chemotherapy (to prolong survival) for assessing therapeutic response. NCCN in ANAP-1 in its Thyroid Cancer guideline says: "Consider PET scan”, although it speaks about general diagnostic use.
REFERENCES:
Jadvar H, Fischman AJ. Evaluation of rare tumors with [F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. Clin Positron Imaging. 1999; 2:153-158.
McDougall IR, Jadvar H, Segall G. PET scan in patients with suspected recurrent thyroid cancer. Presented at Thyroid One. Thyroid Cancer Pathogenesis, Diagnosis including PET, and Treatment. International Symposium. October 7-10, 1998, Linz, Austria. Thyroid. 1998;8:1222. Abstract.
Nccn.org, thyroid cancer
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