The role of ¹8F-FDG PET/CT in the assessment of suspected recurrent gastric cancer after initial surgical resection: can the results of FDG PET/CT influence patients' treatment decision making?

PURPOSE: (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT has been widely used for staging, re-staging and for monitoring therapy-induced changes and response to therapy in patients with various types of cancer, but its utilization for gastric cancer has been limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical role of FDG PET/CT in the detection of gastric cancer recurrence as compared with diagnostic CT and to assess the impact of FDG PET/CT results on patients' treatment planning. METHODS: Thirty-four patients with suspected recurrent gastric cancer, who had previously undergone curative gastrectomy and lymph node dissection, were retrospectively analysed. The diagnostic CT and FDG PET/CT imaging were performed for all patients as clinically indicated. The results of FDG PET/CT were compared with the findings of the diagnostic CT. The changes in the clinical management of patients according to the results of FDG PET/CT were also evaluated. RESULTS: FDG PET/CT was performed in 19 patients (55.9%) due to the suspicion of distant metastasis at diagnostic CT. The remaining 15 patients were suspected to have local recurrence at diagnostic CT (n = 4) or gastroscopy (n = 1) and due to an increase in tumour markers or clinical manifestations (n = 10). The FDG PET/CT result was positive in 23 patients (67.6%) and negative in 11 patients (32.4%). In total, 24 (70.6%) of the 34 patients had documented recurrent disease by histopathology in 7 (29.1%) and by clinical follow-up in 17 (70.9%), while 11 patients had no evidence of recurrent disease. FDG PET/CT correctly confirmed recurrent disease in 23 of the patients with recurrence and it was classified as true-positive in these patients. However, FDG PET/CT was false-negative in one patient but recurrent disease was confirmed by histopathology. The overall sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values of FDG PET/CT were significantly superior to those of diagnostic CT (95.8 vs 62.5%, 100 vs 10%, 97 vs 47%, 100 vs 62.5% and 90.9 vs 10%, respectively, p = 0.012) in the detection of recurrent gastric cancer after initial surgery. The FDG PET/CT results changed the patients' management in 18 (52.9%) cases by leading to the use of previously unplanned treatment procedures in 9 (50%) patients and the avoidance of previously planned therapeutic procedures in 9 (50%) patients. CONCLUSION: FDG PET/CT is a superior post-therapy surveillance modality for the diagnosis of recurrent gastric cancer compared with diagnostic CT imaging after initial surgery. In addition, integrated FDG PET/CT was specifically helpful in optimizing the treatment plan and it might play an important role in treatment stratification in the future.

Clinical value of FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis of suspected recurrent ovarian cancer: is there an impact of FDG PET/CT on patient management?

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical value of FDG PET/CT in patients with suspected ovarian cancer recurrence as compared with diagnostic CT, and to assess the impact of the results of FDG PET/CT on treatment planning. METHODS: Included in this retrospective study were 60 patients with suspected recurrent ovarian cancer who had previously undergone primary debulking surgery and had been treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. Diagnostic CT and FDG PET/CT imaging were performed for all patients as clinically indicated. The changes in the clinical management of patients according to the results of FDG PET/CT were also analysed. RESULTS: FDG PET/CT was performed in 21 patients with a previously negative or indeterminate diagnostic CT scan, but an elevated CA-125 level, and provided a sensitivity of 95% in the detection of recurrent disease. FDG PET/CT revealed recurrent disease in 19 patients. In 17 of 60 patients, the indication for FDG PET/CT was an elevated CA-125 level and an abnormal diagnostic CT scan to localize accurately the extent of disease. FDG PET/CT scans correctly identified recurrent disease in 16 of the 17 patients, a sensitivity of 94.1%. Moreover, FDG PET/CT was performed in 18 patients with clinical symptoms of ovarian cancer recurrence, an abnormal diagnostic CT scan, but a normal CA-125 level. In this setting, FDG PET/CT correctly confirmed recurrent disease in seven patients providing a sensitivity of 100% in determining recurrence. In four patients, FDG PET/CT was carried out for the assessment of treatment response. Three of four scans were classified as true-negative indicating a complete response. In the other patient, FDG PET/CT identified progression of disease. In total, 45 (75%) of the 60 patients had recurrent disease, in 14 (31.1%) documented by histopathology and in 31 (68.9%) on clinical follow-up, while 15 (25%) had no evidence of recurrent disease. The overall sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive value of FDG PET/CT were significantly superior to those of diagnostic CT (95.5% vs. 55.5%, 93.3% vs. 66.6%, 95% vs. 58.3%, 97.7% vs. 83.3%, 87.7% vs. 33.3%, respectively; p = 0.02) in the detection of recurrent ovarian cancer. FDG PET/CT changed the management in 31 patients (51.6%). It led to the use of previously unplanned treatment procedures in 19 patients (61.2%) and the avoidance of previously planned therapeutic procedures in 12 patients (38.8%). CONCLUSION: Our results confirm that FDG PET/CT is a superior posttherapy surveillance modality for the detection of recurrent ovarian cancer than diagnostic CT imaging. Furthermore, integrated FDG PET/CT was useful specifically in optimizing the treatment plan and it might play an important role in treatment stratification in the future.

[Therapeutic bronchoscopic treatment of postintubation tracheal stenosis: 5 cases]. / Terapötik bronkoskopi ile tedavi edilen postentübasyon trakea stenozlari: Bes olgu sunumu.

Benign airway obstruction is known as curable by therapeutic bronchoscopic methods. Compared by surgical therapies it is comfortable and has no risks for the patients. For five patients who applied our clinic after tracheostomy and endotracheal intubation stenosis we used therapeutic bronchoscopic methods; "laser-stenotic silicon stent". In two patients after vaporization of membranous stricture by Neodimum Yttrium Aliminum Pevroskite Laser (Nd-YAP laser) who were seen posttracheostomy and postentubation; stenotic stent was implanted mechanically and/or by means of baloon dilatation. Membranous stricture area was coagulated by Nd-YAP-laser in other three cases and anatomic airway diameter was achieved mechanically and by baloon dilatation. In the follow up period we applied stenotic silicon stent implantation after second laser resection in whom restenosis observed. In conclusion; patients who had stenotic silicon stent implantation and having no problems in the follow up this therapeutic method is found to be curative.

Reduction aortoplasty and external wrapping for moderately sized tubular ascending aortic aneurysm with concomitant operations.

BACKGROUND: Replacement of the ascending aorta with a prosthetic graft is the preferred surgical procedure for an ascending aortic aneurysm. The choice of external wrapping of the aorta is a simple, fast, and effective method for moderately sized ascending aortic aneurysms with concomitant operations. In this study, we present the midterm results of 62 patients undergoing reduction aortoplasty with external wrapping and different cardiac procedures. METHODS: The study group consisted of 48 male and 14 female patients with a mean age of 59.3 +/- 6.0 years. Measurement of the ascending aorta diameters was obtained at three points: before surgery, during the early postoperative period, and during the follow-up. The mean preoperative aortic diameter was 52.7 +/- 0.5 mm. In all patients, the ascending aortic aneurysm was repaired by reduction aortoplasty with external wrapping. RESULTS: Mean follow-up time was 39.6 +/- 18.0 months. There was only one mortality (1.6%) as a result of septic multiple-organ failure and no major surgical complications in the 30-day postoperative period. Reduction aortoplasty of the ascending aorta with external wrapping resulted in a significant reduction of the ascending aorta in all patients (p = 0.000). There was an increase in the mean aortic diameter during the follow-up period (p = 0.000). Although this increase was statistically significant, all measurements of the follow-up period were still within normal range. CONCLUSIONS: External wrapping of the aorta offers excellent results with very low mortality and morbidity, and it can be regarded as a safe and effective method for the treatment of ascending aortic aneurysm in selected patients. However, the patients should be carefully monitored for redilatation after the procedure.

Outcome analysis of reoperations after lumbar discectomies: a report of 22 patients.

Our aim was to analyse causes for persistence of pain after lumbar discectomy and outcome of reoperations. Out of 37 reoperated patients, 22 with a minimum follow-up period of one year were included in this retrospective study concerning the years 1993 to 2000. All patients had previously undergone laminotomy and discectomy and fusion was not required during second operations. Outcome was evaluated according to the modified criteria of Kawabata et al. Overall incidence of reoperation was 6.5%. Reoperations were performed because of recurrent disc herniation in 9 patients, epidural fibrosis in 8, and de novo disc herniation at a different level in 5. Contrast enhanced computerized tomography was used in 17 patients and this might be the reason for misdiagnosis of recurrent disc herniation in the two patients with epidural fibrosis. In patients with de novo disc herniation, symptoms recurred earlier. In 20 patients, satisfactory relief of pain, as well as better outcome could be achieved (p<0.05), but no significant improvement in neurological deficits was observed. Excellent results were obtained more in patients with recurrent disc herniation and poor outcomes correlated with long (> 1 year) time intervals for onset of recurrent sciatica (p<0.05). However, patients with epidural fibrosis were also glad postoperatively for decreased pain severity. Only co-existence of epidural fibrosis and de novo disc herniation predicted an inferior outcome. Although recurrent disc herniation seemed to respond best to surgical treatment, we recommend reoperation when objective preoperative findings indicate the presence of surgically correctable compression regardless of its type.