PET Scans Can Spot Cervical Cancer's Return

PET Scans Can Spot Cervical Cancer's Return
TUESDAY, Nov. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Whole-body positron emissiontomography (PET) scans three months after cervical cancer patients havecompleted therapy can help determine whether they're cancer-free orrequire further treatment, U.S. researchers say.
It can be difficult to determine if treatment has eliminated cervicaltumors, noted study author Dr. Julie K. Schwarz, a Barnes-Jewish Hospitalresident in the department of radiation oncology at Washington UniversitySchool of Medicine, St. Louis. Small tumors are difficult to detect withpelvic exams and obvious symptoms such as leg swelling don't occur untiltumors are quite large.
CT and MRI scans aren't able to differentiate between tumor tissue andsurrounding tissue, the expert added. There's also no blood test toindicate the presence of cervical cancer, and Pap tests can be inaccuratebecause of tissue changes caused by radiation therapy.
However, Schwarz and her colleagues found that cervical tumors glowbrightly in FDG-PET scans, which detect emissions from radioactivelytagged blood sugar (glucose). Tumor tissue traps more of this glucose thannormal tissue.
"This is the first time we can say that we have a reliable test tofollow cervical cancer patients after therapy," Schwarz said in a preparedstatement. "We ask them to come back for a follow-up visit about threemonths after treatment is finished, and we perform a PET scan. If the scanshows a complete response to treatment, we can say with confidence thatthey are doing to do extremely well."
If the PET scan reveals cervical tumors that haven't responded totreatment, patients can discuss further treatment options with theirdoctor.
The study was published in the Nov. 21 issue of the Journal of theAmerican Medical Association.
More information
The U.S. National Women's Health Information Center has more about cervicalcancer.