FDG-PET-CT for staging of high-risk breast cancer patients reduces the number of further examinations: A pilot study

Figures & data

Table I. Patients’ charateristics

Table 1A
Number of poor prognostic factors*	Number of patients
1	3
2	2
3	3
4	1

Table

TN-Stage	Number of patients
T2N3	1
T3N1	4
T4N1-3	3

Table

Initial treatment	Number of patients	Mean time to recurrence (months)
BCT with SN procedure	2	49
BCT with ALND	7	93
Ablatio mammae with SN procedure	2	37.5
MRM	3	26

Characteristics for patients with early stage high-risk breast cancer (1A), patients with locally advanced breast cancer (1B), and for patients with a locoregional recurrence (1C). BCT stands for breast conserving therapy; SN for sentinel node procedure, ALND for axillary lymph node dissection, and MRM for modified radical mastectomy.

*poor prognostic factors included: Grade III, tumor diameter > 3 cm, clinically positive axillary nodes, or younger than 40 years of age.

Figure 1. Overview of the most important lesions found on staging. CS stands for conventional staging; IMC for internal mammary chain; FNA for fine needle aspiration; DM for distant metastases.

Figure 2. Overview of patients who were and were not considered to have additional value of the FDG-PET-CT. CS stands for conventional staging; IMCN for internal mammary chain nodes; FNA for fine needle aspiration; DM for distant metastases; NED for no evidence of disease; ALND for axillary lymph node dissection; RT for radiotherapy.