Impact of FDG-PET on lung cancer delineation for radiotherapy.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of fused diagnostic F-18 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) and planning FDG-PET/CT scans on voluming of lung cancer for radiotherapy. METHODS: Five radiation oncologists (ROs), five radiation oncology trainees and a radiologist contoured five cases of non-small cell lung cancer. The CT alone, the diagnostic FDG-PET/CT and planning FDG-PET/CT each registered to the CT, were used to contour three volumes. The concordance index (CI) was used to compare each volume with a reference RO. RESULTS: Although there was considerable inter-observer variability in CT contouring, there was no significant difference between mean volumes of the gross tumour volume for the RO and radiation oncology trainees using any technique. There was no increase in CI with the addition of PET/CT, either diagnostic or planning, for the RO. However, the volumes of the radiation oncology trainees showed a significant increase in CI from 65.8% with CT alone to 68.0% and 72.3% with diagnostic PET/CT and planning PET/CT, respectively (P = 0.028). Mean variation at the tumour/mediastinum interface was significantly reduced with addition of registered PET/CT. CONCLUSIONS: The concordance of RO with the reference RO did not significantly increase with use of integrated FDG PET/CT images. However, the contouring of radiation oncology trainees' became more concordant with the reference.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of survival and surgical outcomes following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for pancreatic cancer.

INTRODUCTION: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to characterize the surgically important benefits and complications associated with the use of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for the treatment of both resectable and initially unresectable pancreatic cancer. Studies were identified through a systematic literature search and analyzed by two independent reviewers. Survival, peri-operative complications, death rate, pancreatic fistula rate, and the incidence of involved surgical margins were analyzed and subject to meta-analysis. METHODS: Nineteen studies, involving 2,148 patients were identified. Only cohort studies were included. RESULTS: The meta-analysis found that patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy achieved similar survival outcomes to patients with resectable disease, even though only 40% were ultimately resected. Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy was not associated with a statistically significant increase in the rate of pancreatic fistula formation or total complications. CONCLUSION: Patients receiving neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy were less likely to have a positive resection margin, although there was an increase in the risk of peri-operative death.