Study: PET May Help Prevent Futile Surgery in Colon Cancer Return

Dutch researchers report that Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans may be helpful in preventing futile surgery in some cases where colon cancer has returned and spread outside the liver.

According to the researchers, half of the patients with colorectal cancer will have their cancer recur within five years. If it is limited to the liver, surgery can help one-third of these patients live five years or longer.

While CT scans or regular X-rays may show the tumor can be removed from the liver, the researchers said that in many patients the surgeon does not find that the tumor can not be removed until surgery is underway.

Dr. T.J.M. Ruers reported in the Journal of Oncology that in conducting both CT scans and PET scans on 51 patients, both scans revealed the same findings in 40 of the patients -- but in seven out of eight patients, the PET scan correctly showed cancer outside of the liver where the CT scan missed it.

He reported that 10 patients in all -- one-fifth of the total studied -- had their treatment plan changed as a result of adding a PET scan to the evaluation process, and five patients avoided futile surgery.

Other sources: Journal of Oncology