FDG-PET Findings Change Cancer Patient Management

After reviewing the first year of data from more than 20,000 patients in the National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR), it appears that using FDG-PET as an imaging tool for cancer management makes sense for all malignancies.

The announcement came from Barry A. Siegel, M.D., director of nuclear medicine at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology and co-chair of the NOPR working group. After reviewing patient data, investigators found that FDG-PET led to a major change in treatment in more than one-third of cancer patients. The results were similar for all cancers tracked in the registry. Currently, Medicare covers only some aspects of FDG-PET reimbursement on a conditional basis. The NOPR committee hopes that the data review will demonstrate that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should expand coverage for all cancers. The NOPR hosts a Web site with more information at www.cancerpetregistry.org.