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Utility of PET/CT in patients with stage I–III melanoma

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Abstract

Purpose

To study the utility of positron emission tomography with computerized tomography (PET/CT) in patients with a stage I–III melanoma.

Patients and methods

PET/CT findings from all patients with a stage I–III melanoma attended at our hospital from September 2011 to November 2015 were reviewed.

Results

Data from 83 patients with a stage I–III melanoma, 39 patients with a positive sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and 35 patients with locoregional recurrences were analyzed. Sensitivity of PET/CT in clinical stage I–III patients was 5%, with a 14% of false positives. In patients with a positive SLNB, PET/CT previous to complete lymph node dissection had a 23% of false negatives. In patients with clinical locoregional recurrences, PET/CT findings revealed asymptomatic visceral distant metastasis in 25.7%.

Conclusions

PET/CT has a significant rate of false positive and negative results in patients with a stage I–III melanoma. Utility in patients with nodal locoregional recurrences seems higher than in patients with skin metastases.

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Funding

This study does not count on any financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Calle Dr Esquerdo 46, 28007, Madrid, Spain

    J. A. Avilés Izquierdo & I. Molina López

  2. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    P. Sobrini Morillo

  3. Servicio de Oncología Médica, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañon and Ciberonc, Madrid, Spain

    I. Márquez Rodas

  4. Servicio de Cirugía General, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañon, Madrid, Spain

    E. Mercader Cidoncha

Authors
  1. J. A. Avilés Izquierdo
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  2. I. Molina López
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  3. P. Sobrini Morillo
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  4. I. Márquez Rodas
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  5. E. Mercader Cidoncha
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. A. Avilés Izquierdo.

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Conflict of interest

IMR declares the following conflict of interest: advisory role from BMS, MSD, Novartis, Roche, Pierre Fabre, Incyte, Amgen, Merck-Serono, Sanofi, Regeneron and Bioncotech. The rest of the authors declare no conflict of interest with the specific topic.

Ethical approval

All patients, prior to the imaging study, were asked to sign a consent form. The study fulfills the declaration of Helsinki ethical standards for research.

Informed consent

Our research involved human participants who had obtained informed consents. The study fulfills the declaration of Helsinki ethical standards for research.

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Avilés Izquierdo, J.A., Molina López, I., Sobrini Morillo, P. et al. Utility of PET/CT in patients with stage I–III melanoma. Clin Transl Oncol 22, 1414–1417 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-019-02252-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-019-02252-2

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