After diagnosis, many lung cancer patients receive treatment aimed at a cure. However, even if the initial curative treatment is successful, there is a considerable chance of recurrent lung cancer. A team of researchers led by Dr. Annemarie Becker (Cancer Center Amsterdam) and Dr. Iris Walraven (Radboud University Medical Center) will investigate whether the detection of recurrent cancer can be improved.
“We are going to see if a PET-CT scan gives better results than just a CT scan of the lungs. This allows you to see metastases outside the lungs,” says Dr. Walraven. “This way, we can start treatments aimed at curing the patient earlier.”
In the Netherlands, current follow-up checks of lung cancer patients consist of computerized tomography (CT) scans of the lungs. This imaging method combines a series of X-rays taken from different angles and uses computer processing to show detailed pictures of organs and tissues.
However, CT scans only check for recurrent cancer in the lungs, while the risk is greater for developing recurrent lung cancer that has metastasized elsewhere in the body. As a result, these metastases are often discovered at a late stage when there are fewer treatment options.
In a positron emission tomography (PET) scan, a small injection of a tracer (radioactive glucose) is administered before the scan. The tracer is absorbed by cells in the body. Since cancer cells tend to be highly active, they take up more of the tracer. The PET scan detects the radioactive tracer and, when combined with a CT scan, provides the doctor detailed 3-D images with information about normal and abnormal metabolic activity throughout the entire body.
“In recent years, the treatment options for patients with a limited number of lung cancer metastases have improved considerably. For example, we can now do very targeted irradiation of the metastases, immunotherapy, or surgery,” explains Dr. Becker. “This increases the chances of long-term survival with a good quality of life. However, a doctor must find the metastases early. We are therefore very pleased with this subsidy to investigate whether early detection can be done more effectively with the help of a PET-CT scan.”
For the study, the researchers from Radboud University Medical Center and Amsterdam UMC will receive 2.5 million euros from the National Health Care Institute (Zorginstituut Nederland) and the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMW) through the program ‘Potentially Promising Care’ to coordinate the investigation, which will involve 24 hospitals throughout the Netherlands. In addition to the research costs, the money will also pay for the cost of the PET-CT, which is not covered under health insurance due to its experimental nature. Based on the results of the study, the National Health Care Institute will evaluate efficacy of the treatment and decide whether to include reimbursement of PET-CT scans for follow-up checks of lung cancer survivors in the future.
For more information contact Dr. Annemarie Becker.
This article was adapted from: ‘2,5 miljoen euro naar betere opsporing van teruggekeerde longkanker’