The clinical impact of [¹⁸F]FDG PET/CT for the management of recurrent endometrial cancer: correlation with clinical and histological findings

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of integrated positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) for the identification of suspected recurrent endometrial cancer after treatment.

Thirty-one women (median age, 53 years) with endometrial cancer treated by primary staging laparotomy who had [¹⁸F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT performed for suspected recurrence were retrospectively reviewed. The findings of the PET/CT scans were compared, with the histological examination after a surgical biopsy in 20 cases and with clinical follow-up in 11 cases to determine the diagnostic accuracy of PET/CT.

Twelve (38.7%) of the 31 patients had a documented recurrence by surgical biopsy or clinical follow-up, and 19 (61.3%) had no evidence of recurrence. Of the 12 patients with recurrent disease, nine (75.0%) women were confirmed to have a recurrence by surgical biopsy. A close correlation was found between the PET/CT and histological or clinical analyses (κ = 0.933, p < 0.001). The overall sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of PET/CT were 100, 94.7, 92.3, 100, and 96.8%, respectively. The PET/CT results modified the diagnostic or treatment plan in seven (22.6%) patients, resulting in five (16.1%) patients undergoing previously unplanned therapeutic procedures and eliminating previously planned diagnostic procedures in two (6.5%) patients. Patients with negative PET/CT scans showed significantly better progression-free survival than those with positive scans (p = 0.015).

Integrated PET/CT appears to be highly sensitive, specific, and accurate as a post-therapy surveillance modality for endometrial cancer in well-selected patients. The PET/CT might be used to improve patient surveillance and prognosis.