What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of adding combined PET-CT to conventional staging in reducing futile thoracotomies for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

July 1, 2009New England Journal of MedicineOpen Access

Preoperative Staging of Lung Cancer with Combined PET–CT

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Authors

BFBarbara Malene FischerUniversity of Copenhagen ULUlrik LassenUniversity of Copenhagen JMJann MortensenUniversity of the Faroe Islands

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Implication

Randomized trial shows preoperative PET-CT reduces futile thoracotomies in non-small-cell lung cancer, indicating improved surgical selection without altering survival.

Key Points

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of adding combined PET-CT to conventional staging in reducing futile thoracotomies for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Randomized trial (NCT00867412) allocating patients referred for NSCLC staging to conventional staging plus PET-CT (N=98) or conventional staging alone (N=91) between January 2002 and February 2007.
Mediastinoscopy was performed in 94% of patients, with follow-up extending for at least 12 months or until death.
The primary end point was futile thoracotomies, defined by mediastinal nodal disease (stage IIIA [N2]), advanced disease (stage IIIB/IV), benign lesions, exploratory surgery, or 1-year recurrence/death.
Fewer patients underwent thoracotomy in the PET-CT group (60/98) than in the conventional-staging group (73/91; P=0.004).
Futile thoracotomies occurred in 21 patients in the PET-CT group compared with 38 patients in the conventional-staging group (P=0.05).
The frequency of justified thoracotomies and overall survival rates did not differ significantly between the two study arms.

Cite This Study

Fischer et al. (2009) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a6f283cf44fa9f079dc9077 https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa0900043

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Implication

Randomized trial shows preoperative PET-CT reduces futile thoracotomies in non-small-cell lung cancer, indicating improved surgical selection without altering survival.

Preoperative Staging of Lung Cancer with Combined PET–CT

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Preoperative Staging of Lung Cancer with Combined PET–CT

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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