Early predictive value of non-response to docetaxel in neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer using 18F-FDG-PET.

Background: The aim of this prospective study of patients with breast cancer was to identify non-responders to docetaxel in neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) using fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography ((18)F-FDG-PET).

Patients And Methods: We analyzed the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of (18)F-FDG-PET before and after the first course and the reduction rate in tumor size shown by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before the first and after the fourth course of docetaxel.

Results: None of the eight patients (0%) whose SUVmax decrease was less than 18% revealed a clinical partial response or clinical complete response; Seven out of the sixteen patients (44%) with an SUVmax decrease over 45% achieved a complete response.

Accuracy of intraoperative macroscopic diagnosis of sentinel node metastases in breast cancer: is accurate prediction possible?

Background: Accurate intraoperative diagnosis of sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastases enables the selection of patients who require axillary lymph node dissection, thus avoiding an additional operation. In this study we investigated the accuracy of intraoperative macroscopic diagnosis of SLN metastases in patients with breast cancer.

Methods: SLNs from 276 breast cancer patients with clinically negative nodes were analyzed by macroscopic examination.