The Efficacy of PET Staging for Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Cost Analysis in the Australian Setting
Journal of Thoracic Oncology, 05/21/2012
Evidence Based Medicine
Ruben JD et al. – Positron emission tomography (PET)–based staging seems superior to conventional staging, and can significantly alter patient management particularly with regard to the inclusion, omission, and portal design of radiotherapy. The initial costs of the two strategies do not seem significantly different. PET may ultimately reduce healthcare costs through avoidance of inappropriate thoracic radiotherapy. The major advantages of PET–staging may, however, lie in averting unnecessary toxicity and in the appropriate addition of thoracic radiotherapy with potential survival gains.
