Prognostic value of thoracic FDG PET imaging after treatment for non-smallcell lung cancer

OBJECTIVE. We determined the prognostic value of F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (F DG) positron emission tomography (PET) for patients with treated lung cance r. MATERIALS AND METHODS. We examined patients who underwent FDG PET after fir st-line treatment for non-small cell lung cancer. FDG PET results were corr elated with survival rates to determine whether FDG PET findings were predi ctive of outcomes. RESULTS. After initial therapy, 113 patients with non-small cell lung cance r underwent FDG PET. One hundred patients had positive FDG PET results and a median survival of 12 months (95% confidence interval, 9.2-15.4). Thirtee n patients had negative FDG PET results, and 11 (85%) of these patients are still livings at a median follow-up of 34 months. The difference in surviv al for patients with positive and negative FDG PET results was statisticall y significant (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION. FDG PET has prognostic value and strongly correlates with survi val rates of patients with treated lung cancer. Patients with positive FDG PET results have a significantly worse prognosis than patients with negativ e results. Additionally, FDG PET may be helpful in guiding therapeutic trea tments.