Role of FDG-PET CT in the Management of Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer
Role of FDG-PET CT in the Management of Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer is the seventh cause of cancer mortality in France. Overall survival is poor, between 45 and 50% at 5 years.
Optimal staging of lymph nodes and metastasis is crucial for treatment decision of muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC).
Guidelines do not recommend FDG-Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Computed Tomography (CT), but rather CT for lymph node and metastatic staging, despite its low accuracy. We performed a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing PET CT for localized MIBC in two centers, to help define the utility of PET CT in this setting.
Background:
Bladder cancer is the second most frequent genito-urinary cancer, and the seventh cause of cancer mortality in France. Overall survival is poor, between 45 and 50% at 5 years. Curative treatment of muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma localized to the bladder includes cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by radical cystectomy with lymph nodes dissection. Nonetheless, surgery indications depend on pre-operative staging regarding nodes and metastatic involvement.
Computed Tomography (CT) scan is the reference imaging study for loco-regional and metastatic staging. Lymph node involvement evaluation is based on morphologic criteria only. Its sensitivity lies between 30 and 53% and its specificity between 67 and 91%. Yet, optimal node staging is crucial for therapeutic decision.
FDG-Positron Emission Tomography (PET) CT, using both morphologic and functional criteria, could help for node staging in muscle invasive bladder cancer assessment, especially by detecting infracentimetric involved lymph nodes. Moreover, it could be useful for detecting distant metastasis.
Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of the PET CT for lymph node staging and to determine the rate of treatment modification according to PET CT results Methods: Retrospective study based on the medical records of every patient undergoing a PET CT at the time of diagnosis of MIBC from 01/2005 to 12/2017 in Bordeaux (Bergonie Institute and University Hospital). PET CT could have been done before any treatment (PET 1) and/or after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and before surgery (PET 2).
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria: