Objective:

Preoperative

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F-FDG PET/CT examination plays some roles in staging of breast cancer. Some patients didnt get the PET/CT examination preoperative

but they were asked to finish it after surgery for better evaluation. This article explores the application values of

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F-FDG PET/CT for early postoperative supplementary evaluation of breast cancer.

Methods:

Retrospectively

included 50 breast cancer patients who underwent

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F-FDG PET/CT within two months after surgery before adjuvant therapy. Collected the basic information

surgical pathology and clinical follow-up data. Then performed supplementary staging and systemic assessment based on the results of PET/CT examination.

Results:

Among 42 patients assessed as stage Ⅲ before surgery

4 patients (9.5%) found positive distant imaging and confirmed as metastases after clinical follow-up

whose clinical stage were adjusted to stage Ⅳ. Among 8 patients assessed as stage Ⅱ preoperatively

1 patient (12.5%) found positive imaging in the internal mammary lymph node. The clinical stage was adjusted to stage Ⅲ

and radiotherapy was performed. Another 13 patients with stage Ⅲ found positive extra-axillary lymph node imaging

5 lesions got pathological biopsy

and 4 lesions were actually metastases. Except the patient with negative biopsy

the remaining 12 patients received radiotherapy for extra-axillary lymph nodes.

Conclusion:

Supplementary

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F-FDG PET/CT evaluation before adjuvant treatment of newly post-operative breast cancer patients can discover unexpected distant metastases and extra-axillary lymph nodes

then change the final staging

which help to make more appropriate adjuvant treatment decisions including changing radiotherapy irradiation volume.