Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

A meta-analysis of FDG-PET for the evaluation of breast cancer recurrence and metastases

  • Report
  • Published:
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective. To evaluate the diagnostic performance of 18F-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-d-glucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in the evaluation of breast cancer recurrence and metastases.

Data Sources. Articles published in medical journals during January 1995–June 2004 were identified by a systematic Medline search, supplemented by a manual search of the references listed in original and review articles.

Study Selection. Studies that evaluated FDG-PET with a dedicated camera for the diagnosis of breast cancer recurrence or metastases, and reporting sufficient data to permit calculation of sensitivity and specificity, were included in the analysis.

Data Extraction. Two reviewers independently reviewed the eligibility and abstracted data regarding the sample population, technical imaging characteristics of FDG-PET, and the number of true positives, true negatives, false positives and false negatives. Differences between readers were resolved by consensus.

Data Synthesis. We used meta-analytic methods to estimate the pooled sensitivity, false positive rate, and the maximum joint sensitivity and specificity. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen studies included patient-based data, comprising a sample size of 808 subjects, and eight studies included lesion-based data, totaling 1013 lesions. Among the studies with patient-based data, the median sensitivity was 92.7%, and the median specificity was 81.6%. The pooled sensitivity was 90% [95% confidence interval (86.8–93.2)], and the pooled false positive rate was 11% [95% confidence interval (7.8–14.6)], after the exclusion of outliers. The maximum joint sensitivity and specificity, was 88% [95% confidence interval (86.0–90.6)].

Conclusion. These results indicate that FDG-PET is a valuable tool for detecting breast cancer recurrence and metastases.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. American Cancer Society: Breast Cancer Facts and Figures. American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA, 2002, pp. 9–10.

  2. Ries LAG, Eisner MP, Kosary CL, et al. (eds): SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975–2001 National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2001, 2004

  3. O Warburg (Eds) (1930) The metabolism of tumors Arnold Constable London 75–327

    Google Scholar 

  4. G Di Chiro RL DeLaPaz RA Brooks et al. (1982) ArticleTitleGlucose utilization of cerebral gliomas measured by [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose and positron emission tomography Neurology 32 1323–1329 Occurrence Handle6983044 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BiyD28zivVA%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. R Hustinx F Benard A Alavi (2002) ArticleTitleWhole-body FDG-PET imaging in the management of patients with cancer Semin Nucl Med 32 35–46 Occurrence Handle11839068

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. SS Gambhir J Czermin J Schwimmer et al. (2001) ArticleTitleA tabulated summary of the FDG PET literature. J Nucl Med 42 1S–93S Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3Mvjs1Wgtw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle11483694

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. J Czermin M Phelps (2002) ArticleTitlePositron emission tomography scanning: current and future applications Annu Rev Med 53 89–112

    Google Scholar 

  8. H Bender J Kirst H Palmedo et al. (1997) ArticleTitleValue of 18fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography in the staging of recurrent breast carcinoma Anticancer Research 17 1687–1692 Occurrence Handle9179219 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByiA383nt10%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. WB Eubank DA Mankoff J Tagasugi et al. (2001) ArticleTitle 18Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography to detect mediastinal or internal mammary metastases in breast cancer J Clin Oncol 19 3516–3523 Occurrence Handle11481358 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3MvjtlOmtQ%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. IC Smith KN Ogston P Whitford et al. (1998) ArticleTitleStaging the axilla in breast cancer. accurate in vivo assessment using positron emission tomography with 2-(fluorine-18)-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose. Annals of Surgery 228 220–227 Occurrence Handle9712568 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1czns1CisQ%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. M Ohta Y Tokuda Y Suzuki et al. (2001) ArticleTitleWhole body PET for the evaluation of bony metastases in patients with breast cancer: comparison with 99Tcm-MDP bone scintigraphy Nuclear Medicine Communications 22 875–879 Occurrence Handle11473206 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3MXmsVymsb0%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. J Dose C Bleckman S Bachman et al. (2002) ArticleTitleComparison of flurodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and conventional diagnostic procedures for the detection of distant metastases in breast cancer patients Nuclear Medicine Communications 23 857–864 Occurrence Handle12195090 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38Xntlyhsb0%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. XH Zhou DK McClish NA Obuchowski (2002) Statistical Methods in Diagnostic Medicine Wiley Interscience New York 222–240

    Google Scholar 

  14. L Irwig A Tosteson C Gatsonis et al. (1994) ArticleTitleGuidelines for meta-analyses evaluating diagnostic tests Ann Int Med 120 667–676 Occurrence Handle8135452 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByuC1c3otlA%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. MK Gould WG Kuschner CE Rydzak et al. (2003) ArticleTitleTest performance of positron emission tomography and computed tomography for mediastinal staging in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. A meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med 29 879–892

    Google Scholar 

  16. HR Schelbert CK Hoh HD Royal et al. (1998) ArticleTitleProcedure guideline for tumor imaging using fluorine-18-FDG. Society of Nuclear Medicine. J Nucl Med 39 1302–1305 Occurrence Handle9669415 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1czjt1Skug%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. LE Moses D Shapiro B Littenberg (1993) ArticleTitleCombining independent studies of a diagnostic test into a summary ROC curve: data analytic approaches and some additional considerations. Stat Med 12 1293–1316 Occurrence Handle8210827 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByuD38zlslw%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. StataCorp Stata statistical software: release 7.0. Stata Corporation, College Station, TX 2001.

  19. W Siggelkow M Zimmy A Faridi et al. (2003) ArticleTitleThe value of positron emission tomography in the follow-up for breast cancer Anticancer Res 23 1859–1868 Occurrence Handle12820470

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. WB Eubank DA Mankoff J Takasugi et al. (2001) ArticleTitle 18Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography to detect mediastinal or internal mammary metastases in breast cancer J Clin Oncol 19 3516–3523 Occurrence Handle11481358 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3MvjtlOmtQ%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. GJ Cook S Houston R Rubens (1998) ArticleTitleDetection of bone metastases in breast cancer by 18FDG-PET: different metabolic activity in osteoblastic and osteolytic lesions J Clin Oncol 16 3375–3379 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1cvltV2qtw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle9779715

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. H Schirrmeister A Guhlman J Kotzerke et al. (1999) ArticleTitleEarly detection and accurate description of extent of metastatic bone disease in breast cancer with fluorine ion and positron emission tomography J Clin Oncol 17 2381–2389 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3c%2FjtVShuw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10561300

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. M Petrén-Mallmin I Andréasson O Ljunggren et al. (1998) ArticleTitleSkeletal metastases from breast cancer: Uptake of 18F-fluoride measured with positron emission tomography in correlation with CT Skeletal Radiol 27 72–76 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s002560050340 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1c7oslGiuw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle9526771

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. AP Pecking C Mechelany-Corone F Bertrand-Kermorgant et al. (2001) ArticleTitleDetection of occult disease in breast cancer using fluorodeoxyglucose camera-based positron emission tomography Clin Breast Cancer 2 229–234 Occurrence Handle10.3816/CBC.2001.n.026 Occurrence Handle11899417 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD387mvVagtg%3D%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. D Grahek F Montravers K Kerrou et al. (2004) ArticleTitle[18F] FDG in recurrent breast cancer: diagnostic performance, clinical impact and relevance of induced changes in management Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 31 179–188 Occurrence Handle15129699

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. J Hoeven Particlevan der NC Krak OS Hoekstra et al. (2004) ArticleTitle 18F-2-Fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography in staging of locally advanced breast cancer J Clin Oncol 31 179–188

    Google Scholar 

  27. CS Liu YY Shen CC Lin et al. (2002) ArticleTitleClinical impact of [(18)F]FDG-PET in patients with suspected recurrent breast cancer based on asymptomatically elevated tumor marker serum levels: a preliminary report Jpn J Clin Oncol 32 244–247 Occurrence Handle12324574

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. M Lonneux I Borbath M Berliere et al. (2000) ArticleTitleThe place of whole body PET FDG for the diagnosis of distant recurrence of breast cancer Clin Positron Imaging 3 45–49 Occurrence Handle10838399

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. KG Gallowitsch I Igerc P Mikosch et al. (2003) ArticleTitleF-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography in the diagnosis of tumor recurrence and metastases in the follow-up of patients with breast carcinoma: a comparison to conventional imaging Invest Radiol 38 250–256 Occurrence Handle10.1097/00004424-200305000-00002 Occurrence Handle12750613

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. GW Goerres SC Michel MK Fehr et al. (2003) ArticleTitleFollow-up of women with breast cancer: comparison between MRI and FDG PET Eur Radiol 13 1635–1644 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s00330-002-1720-8 Occurrence Handle12835979

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. KF Hubner GT Smith JA Thie et al. (2000) ArticleTitleThe potential of F-18-FDG PET in breast cancer: detection of primary lesions, axillary lymph node metastases or distant metastases Clin Positron Imaging 3 197–205 Occurrence Handle11348848

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. D Samson CR Flamm ED Pisano et al. (2002) ArticleTitleShould FDG PET be used to decide whether a patient with an abnormal mammogram or breast finding at physical examination should undergo biopsy Acad Radiol 9 773–783 Occurrence Handle12139091

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. L Irwig P Macaskill P Glasziou et al. (1995) ArticleTitleMeta-analytic methods for diagnostic test accuracy J Clin Epidemiol 48 119–130 Occurrence Handle7853038 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByqC2MnhtFU%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. J Lijmer PM Bossuyt SH Heisterkamp (2002) ArticleTitleExploring sources of heterogeneity in systematic reviews of diagnostic tests Statist Med 21 1525–1537

    Google Scholar 

  35. SG Thompson (1994) ArticleTitleSystematic review: why sources of heterogeneity in meta-analysis should be investigated BMJ 309 1351–1355 Occurrence Handle7866085 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByqC2s%2Fjs1c%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. MK Gould CC Maclean WG Kuschner et al. (2001) ArticleTitleAccuracy of positron emission tomography for diagnosis of pulmonary nodules and mass lesions: a meta-analysis JAMA 285 914–924 Occurrence Handle10.1001/jama.285.7.914 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3M7ltF2isA%3D%3D Occurrence Handle11180735

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. BA Dwamena SS Sonnad JO Angobaldo et al. (1999) ArticleTitleMetastases from non-small cell lung cancer: mediastinal staging in the 1990s–meta-analytic comparison of PET and CT Radiology 213 530–536 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3c%2FhvV2gtg%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10551237

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. RH Huebner KC Park JE Sheperd et al. (2000) ArticleTitleA meta-analysis of the literature for whole body FDG PET detection of recurrent colorectal cancer J Nucl Med 41 1177–1189 Occurrence Handle10914907 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3czpslemtw%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. K Kinkel Y Lu M Both et al. (2002) ArticleTitleDetection of hepatic metastases from cancers of the gastrointestinal tract by using noninvasive imaging methods (US, CT, MR Imaging, PET): a meta-analysis Radiology 224 748–756 Occurrence Handle12202709

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. H Moon J Maddahi D Silverman JA Glaspy et al. (1998) ArticleTitleAccuracy of whole body fluorine-18-FDG PET for the detection of recurrent or metastatic breast carcinoma J Nucl Med 39 431–435 Occurrence Handle9529287 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1c7ovVWgtA%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. PB Hathaway DA Mankoff KR Maravilla et al. (1999) ArticleTitleValue of combined FDG PET and MR imaging in the evaluation of suspected recurrent local-regional breast cancer: preliminary experience Radiology 210 807–814 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1M3itlyqsA%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10207485

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. AY Rostom J Powe A Kandil et al. (1999) ArticleTitlePositron emissi1999; on tomography in breast cancer: a clinicopathological correlation of results Br J Radiol 72 1064–1068 Occurrence Handle10700822 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3c7msFKnuw%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. TS Kim WK Moon DS Lee et al. (2001) ArticleTitleFluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography for detection of recurrent metastatic breast cancer World Surg 257 829–834

    Google Scholar 

  44. M Suarez MJ Perez-Castejon A Jimenez et al. (2002) ArticleTitleEarly diagnosis of recurrent breast cancer with FDG-PET in patients with progressive elevation of serum tumor markers Q J Nucl Med 46 113–121 Occurrence Handle12114874 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD38zntVCisQ%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. EM Kamel MT Wyss MK Fehr et al. (2003) ArticleTitle[18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in patients with suspected recurrence of breast cancer J Clin Oncol 129 147–153

    Google Scholar 

  46. WY Lin Sc Tsai KY Cheng et al. (2002) ArticleTitleFluorine-18 FDG-PET in detecting local recurrence and distant metastases in breast cancer–Taiwanese experiences Cancer Invest 20 725–729 Occurrence Handle12197228

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. SN Yang JA Liang FJ Lin et al. (2002) ArticleTitleComparing whole body 18F-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography and technetium-99m methylene diphosphonate bone scan to detect bone metastases in patients with breast cancer J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 128 325–328 Occurrence Handle12073051 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD38zivFOhsw%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carmen R. Isasi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Isasi, C.R., Moadel, R.M. & Blaufox, M.D. A meta-analysis of FDG-PET for the evaluation of breast cancer recurrence and metastases. Breast Cancer Res Treat 90, 105–112 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-004-3291-7

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-004-3291-7

Keywords

Navigation