Biomedical subjects

Hiroyuki Kato

Publications and source records attributed to Hiroyuki Kato.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Efficacy and toxicity of nedaplatin and 5-FU with radiation treatment for advanced esophageal carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: Nedaplatin, a new analog of cisplatin, has been developed and marketed in recent years in Japan. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of a regimen of nedaplatin and 5-FU with radiation in patients with advanced esophageal carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between June 1999 and December 2002, 42 patients with advanced and unresectable thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) were enrolled into this study. Twenty-five of these 42 patients were considered to have inoperable tumors due to distant organ metastasis, distant lymph node metastasis, severe organ dysfunction and rejection of surgery by the patients. The remaining 17 patients received neoadjuvant treatment followed by surgery. The clinical responses of the primary tumors were evaluated. RESULTS: Response and toxicity could be assessed in 22 of the 25 patients with unresectable esophageal SCCs. Two of these 22 achieved a complete response (CR), 15 had a partial response (PR) and 5 showed no change (NC). The overall response rate (CR + PR) was 77%. The one- and 2-year survival rates were 30.7% and 10.2%, respectively, with a median survival time (MST) of 10.1 months. Of the 17 patients who received neoadjuvant treatment, 14 underwent subsequent surgery. Preoperatively, 2 of these 17 patients achieved a CR, 10 had a PR and 5 showed NC. The overall response rate for all 39 patients was 74%. The pathological complete response (pCR) rate of the 14 patients who underwent surgery was 28.6%. Their one- and 2-year survival rates were 48.2% and 12.1%, respectively, with an MST of 12.2 months. Toxicity was evaluated in the 39 patients whose responses were assessed. Toxicity higher than grade 3 occurred in 8 out of 39 (20.5%) patients, and 6 (15.4%), 3 (7.7%) and one (2.6%) had grade 3 leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and anemia, respectively. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, this study indicates that combination chemoradiotherapy with nedaplatin and 5-FU is safe and efficacious for patients with advanced esophageal carcinomas. We recommend further evaluation of this treatment regimen in such patients.

Adult↗

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Fas ligand expression is a risk factor for liver metastasis in colorectal cancer with venous invasion.

The expression of Fas ligand (Fas L) was investigated in sixty-seven patients with colorectal cancer for possible correlation with liver metastasis. Fas L expression was positive in 48 and negative in 19 cases. In Fas L-positive cases, 14 patients had liver metastasis including metachronous metastasis. However, only one case had liver metastasis in Fas L-negative patients (p = 0.0344). In colorectal cancer with venous invasion, 13 from 25 Fas L-positive cases had liver metastasis but only one in 19 negative cases (p = 0.0003). In the cases without venous invasion, no liver metastasis was observed in Fas L-negative cases. These results suggest that Fas L expression may be a predictive factor for liver metastasis in colorectal cancer with venous invasion.

Adult↗

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Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma of the esophagus: case report and review of the literature.

We report the histomorphologic and immunohistochemical features of another case of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma arising from the esophagus and discuss the problems of differential diagnosis. The patient was a 49-year-old man, who had no gastrointestinal symptoms. On endoscopy, a smooth-surfaced, semibulbous lesion was found 36 cm from the incisors. We performed radical resection of this submucosal tumor with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment. The immunophenotype of the centrocyte-like-cells was CD20+, BCL2+, CD5-, CD10-, CD23- CD45RO- and cyclin D1-. Diffuse immunostaining of bcl-2 was detected in the nuclei of the tumor cells without lymph follicles. Southern blotting analyses of the IgH gene detected a single dominant band indicative of a clonal IgH rearrangement. From the pathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular biological features we concluded that the tumor was a MALT lymphoma. Only three cases of primary esophageal MALT lymphoma have been reported to date. On the basis of the present case and the three previously reported cases, we suggest that MALT lymphoma of the esophagus is usually an elevated type. The spectrum of sites in which gastrointestinal MALT lymphoma occurs should be expanded to include the esophagus.

Esophageal Neoplasms↗

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Inverse correlation between expression levels of p27 and the ubiquitin ligase subunit Skp2 in early esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: In esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), the relationship between expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27 and tumor aggression and prognosis is still controversial. Moreover, the expression of S-phase kinase-interacting protein 2 (Skp2), the ubiquitin ligase subunit required for the ubiquitin-dependent degradation of p27, remains unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used immunohistochemistry to analyze Skp2 and p27 expression in surgical specimens obtained from 32 patients with early esophageal SCC. We also used Western blotting to characterize the expression of Skp2 and p27 in 7 cell lines derived from esophageal SCC. RESULTS: Expression of Skp2 showed an inverse topographic distribution and correlation to that of p27 in many esophageal carcinomas. Of the 7 cell lines, 6 showed an inverse relationship between Skp2 and p27 expression. Patients without an inverse correlation between Skp2 and p27 expression had a significantly unfavorable prognosis in the early stage (p=0.0493). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the target substrate of Skp2 in early esophageal SCC is mainly p27, and that failure of Skp2-induced degradation of p27 may influence tumor progression and lead to a poor prognosis.

Adult↗

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The role of insulin-like growth factor 1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 in human esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Insulin-like growth factors (1GF-1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) play important roles in cell growth and differentiation. The aim of this work was to investigate the roles of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in esophageal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined the circulating IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 concentration in 18 healthy controls and 66 esophageal cancer patients by ELISA and a ligand capture immunoassay. Immunohistochemistry for IGF-1 was performed on surgical specimens obtained from 93 patients with esophageal cancer. RESULTS: The serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels were significantly elevated in patients compared with healthy subjects and there was a positive correlation between IGF-1 and IGFBP-3. There was a significant correlation between IGF-1 level and depth of invasion and pathological stage. Poor prognosis was significantly correlated with increasing IGF-1 levels. The survival rates of high IGF-1 expression immunohistochemical study patients were poorer than those of low expression patients. CONCLUSION: Elevated serum IGF-1 levels may be an important predictor of risk for esophageal cancer. IGF-1 related to the progression of esophageal cancer may depend on an autocrine function of IGF-1.

Adult↗

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Transthoracal partial resection or local excision of small esophageal carcinoma with a radical mediastinal lymphadenectomy--proposal of limited operation for postoperative quality of life.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Controversy remains regarding which treatment should be employed for superficial esophageal cancer. The treatment modalities for such superficial cancers vary from a local excision, including an endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) to an extended radical esophagectomy (three-field lymphadenectomy). In the current report, we proposed the use of either a transthoracal partial resection or local excision of the esophagus with a radical mediastinal lymphadenectomy for the patients with small superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, in order to perform effective radical cancer surgery and maintain the quality of life (QOL) of the patients. METHODOLOGY: Surgical procedures: After thoracotomy and detaching of the esophagus from the surrounding tissues, the proximal and distal resection lines were determined by careful palpation of the clips within the esophagus which had been placed during the preoperative endoscopic examination. Thereafter, a mediastinal lymph node dissection, including the bilateral recurrent nerve nodes and paratracheal nodes, was performed. After this procedure, intrathoracic esophageal end-to-end anastomosis was performed in the ordinary manner. We performed this procedure on three patients with small localized esophageal cancer. RESULTS: Operations were safely performed on these three patients and postoperative quality of life was almost satisfactory. CONCLUSIONS: Transthoracal partial resection or local excision with a radical mediastinal lymphadenectomy was useful for the patients with small localized esophageal carcinoma.

Aged↗

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Appraisal of the simultaneous right-thoracic and abdominal approach with intrathoracic reconstruction after esophageal resection for patients with intrathoracic esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study evaluated the surgical procedure with the simultaneous right-thoracic and abdominal approaches with intrathoracic reconstruction after performing a macroscopically curable esophageal resection and a mediastio-abdominal extended lymphadenectomy as the standard operation for patients with intrathoracic esophageal cancer. METHODOLOGY: Forty-seven patients with thoracic esophageal cancer were operated on at the Department of Surgery I, Gunma University Hospital from 1995 to 1999. Before the end of 1997, all 21 cases underwent subtotal esophagectomy with three-field lymphadenectomy. After 1998, however, 16 cases underwent the same procedure while the remaining 10 underwent a simultaneous right-thoracic and abdominal approach with intrathoracic reconstruction with lymphadenectomy based on our criteria (Group I). Postoperative factors including the data of cytokines were compared between Group I and conventional subtotal (10 cases) esophagectomy with three-field lymphadenectomy (Group II, 37 cases). RESULTS: None of the patients in Group I has shown a recurrence of cancer. The CRP levels at 2 POD and the serum IL 6 levels at 3 POD were significantly lower in Group I than in Group II (p<0.05), and the postoperative duration of mechanical ventilation was also significantly shorter in Group I than in Group II (p<0.001). The postoperative body weight gain at 12 months after surgery was also higher in Group I than in Group II. CONCLUSIONS: This procedure is indicated for patients with esophageal cancer, located in the middle- or lower-thoracic esophagus, limited to within the esophageal wall, and without either upper mediastinal or neck lymph node metastasis, in order to not only cure the cancer but also in order to improve the postoperative quality of life.

Adult↗

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Long myotomy of the esophagus and gastric cardia with a complete fundic patch procedure for diffuse esophageal spasm.

Under the hypothesis that the surgical management of diffuse esophageal spasm requires the elimination or reduction of episodes of dysphagia and chest pain and prevention of postoperative gastroesophageal reflux, long esophageal myotomy and fundoplication had been performed. However, there have been some cases with unsatisfactory results. We describe herein a new surgical procedure of long myotomy of the esophagus and gastric cardia with a complete fundic patch operation for the patient with diffuse esophageal spasm. The advantages of this procedure are to preserve the separation of each myotomized edge and to reinforce the wall of the surface of the myotomized mucosa in order to avoid the postoperative problems. Postoperative course of the patient with this procedure was satisfactory.

Combined Modality Therapy↗

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Prognostic value of the expression of Smad6 and Smad7, as inhibitory Smads of the TGF-beta superfamily, in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily regulates cell growth in various cells. Previous studies have shown that altered expression of TGF-beta receptors, Smad2 and Smad4, as mediators of TGF-beta superfamily signaling, contributes to tumor progression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The expression of Smad6 and Smad7 as negative regulators was examined, to investigate the further effects of TGF-B superfamily signaling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining with anti-Smad6 and anti-Smad7 polyclonal antibodies was performed on surgical specimens obtained from 115 patients with esophageal SCC. RESULTS: The expression of Smad6 and Smad7 was inversely correlated with depth of invasion in the early stages (p = 0.0003 and p = 0.0173, respectively). Moreover, there was a significant correlation between the expression of Smad6 and Smad7, and poor survival rate (p = 0.0078 and p = 0.0207, respectively). CONCLUSION: Smad6 and Smad7 expression affects the progression of early lesions of esophageal SCC and indicates a poor prognosis.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The effectiveness of planned esophagectomy after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for advanced esophageal carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: The best treatment option for patients with locally advanced esophageal carcinoma has not yet been determined, especially because the benefits of esophagectomy after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy are still controversial. We report the results of a retrospective cohort comparison of definitive chemoradiotherapy without surgery (CRT) versus neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by planned surgery (CRTS) in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1991 and December 2002, 67 patients were enrolled in this study. Fifty of the 67 patients were considered to have inoperable tumors due to distant organ metastasis, distant lymph node metastasis, severe organ dysfunction or rejection of surgery by the patient and received CRT, while the remaining 17 patients were treated with CRTS. The clinical responses of the primary tumors were evaluated. RESULTS: In the 50 CRT patients, the one- and 2-year survival rates were 33.8% and 20.2%, respectively, and the median survival time (MST) was 13.5 months. In the 17 CRTS patients, the response rate (CR + PR) was 76.5%, and the pathological complete response (pCR) rate was 29.4%. Their one- and 2-year survival rates were 61.6% and 35.9%, respectively, and the MST was 24.4 months. The survival rates of the CRT patients were lower than those of the CRTS patients (p = 0.1288). When the 12 patients with distant organ metastases were removed from the CRT group, the one- and 2-year survival rates of the remaining 38 patients were 36.5% and 24.1%, respectively, and the MST was 14.7 months. The survival rates of these 38 CRT patients without distant organ metastases were similar to those of the 12 CRTS patients in the pathological partial response (pPR) group (p = 0.6279). CONCLUSION: This retrospective cohort comparison of CRT versus CRTS demonstrated that there may not be any survival benefit from the addition of surgery in the pPR group for advanced esophageal carcinomas. For patients with a poor response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, we suggest that the addition of chemoradiotherapy, instead of planned esophagectomy, may show a similar survival rate to definitive CRT. Thus, a large series of a randomized control study will be required to confirm the benefit of surgery after chemoradiotherapy.

Adult↗

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A new staging system for colorectal carcinoma with liver metastasis.

PURPOSE: The prognosis of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) with liver metastasis varies from case to case. A standardized classification system for evaluation of the prognosis and the treatment is needed. Therefore, we developed a new staging system for CRC with liver metastasis (HM-stage) based on the survival data. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We evaluated 148 CRC patients with liver metastasis treated between 1985 and 1999. Prognostic factors were identified based on a multivariate analysis. According to the final prognostic factors and hazard ratios, we defined the HM- stage. RESULTS: Three factors, including extent of liver metastasis, depth of tumor invasion and peritoneal metastasis, were identified to be the final prognostic factors. These factors were then assigned points. The patients were classified as being HM-stage I to IV by the sum total. The median survival time for each HM-stage were 37 months for HM-stage I, 23 months for II, 10 months for III and 7 months for IV respectively. A significant difference among each stage was recognized (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: This new staging system for CRC with liver metastasis is simple and should be clinically useful for both estimation of the prognosis and evaluation of the therapy in patients.

Colorectal Neoplasms↗

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Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the stomach: a case report with immunohistochemical and molecular biologic studies.

Primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the stomach is an extremely rare tumor and its pathogenesis is still unknown. We report a case of SCC of the stomach in a 69-year-old man. The patient's stomach contained an area of SCC surrounded by squamous metaplasia. To our knowledge, this is the first reported study to have investigated the pathogenesis of this tumor type by immunohistochemistry, liquid hybridization assay for human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, and polymerase chain reaction for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. These tests yielded proof of EBV infection in surgical specimens of the tumor. Therefore, we suggest that EBV infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of SCC arising in the stomach.

Aged↗

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Predictors of response to chemo-radiotherapy and radiotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The sensitivity of tumors to chemotherapy and radiotherapy differs from one case to another and may be influenced by the expression of biological molecules. The presence of six potential predictive markers in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) was investigated and the data obtained were related to the response of the tumors to chemo-radiotherapy and radiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Biopsy specimens were obtained from 61 patients with ESCC before treatment with chemo-radiotherapy (31 patients) or radiotherapy (30 patients). External radiotherapy was delivered by a two-field technique to a total of 60-70 Gray. Concurrent chemotherapy consisted of cisplatin or nedaplatin and 5-fluorouracil administered intravenously. The patients were examined before and after treatment by endoscopy, esophagography and computed tomography. The clinical response was classified as effective (> 50% decrease in primary lesion), or ineffective. Immunohistochemical staining for p53, p21, bax, bcl2, heat-shock protein (Hsp) 27 and Hsp70 was performed on the biopsy specimens before therapy. RESULTS: The primary tumor response was effective in 73.8% (45/61) and ineffective in 26.2% (16/61) of patients. Tumors with p53-positive expression were less sensitive than p53-negative tumors (p = 0.033). p21-positive patients (p = 0.027), and Hsp27-negative (p = 0.0057) and Hsp70-negative patients (p = 0.010) were all good responders. Neither bcl2 nor bax expression was related to the efficacy of therapy. Multivariate analysis revealed that Hsp27 was the most reliable predictor of the effect of chemo-radiotherapy and radiotherapy among the four potential markers. p53-negative and Hsp70-negative patients had a more favorable prognosis than p53- and Hsp70-positive patients (p = 0.039, p = 0.038, respectively). CONCLUSION: Expression of Hsp27 was a good predictor of the response of ESCC to chemo-radiotherapy and radiotherapy.

Adult↗

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Serum p53 antibodies in drainage blood from the azygos vein in patients with esophageal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Serum p53 antibodies (p53-Ab) have been detected in some cancers. The possible correlation between serum p53-Ab levels in drainage blood from the azygos vein in patients with esophageal carcinoma and prognosis was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum p53-Ab levels were examined in both the peripheral and azygos veins of 57 patients, and in the peripheral vein of 17 healthy volunteers. Serum p53-Ab levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The positive rate of serum p53-Ab in the peripheral vein of the patients was 31.6%, significantly higher than that of the normal volunteers. There were no significant correlations between the clinicopathological features and the serum p53-Ab in either the peripheral or azygos veins. Serum p53-Ab levels in either vein did not correlate with prognosis in the univariate survival analysis, although the levels in the two veins were significantly correlated. CONCLUSION: Serum p53-Ab levels in the azygos vein did not reflect the tumor status or prognosis more directly or accurately than those in the peripheral vein, since levels in the two veins were similar. Therefore, measurement of serum p53-Ab in the azygos vein does not appear to be necessary.

Antibodies, Neoplasm↗

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Classification of recurrent esophageal cancer after radical esophagectomy with two- or three-field lymphadenectomy.

BACKGROUND: Although patients with recurrent diseases have a very poor prognosis, appropriate pretreatment classification for management of recurrent esophageal cancers has yet to be identified. The patterns of recurrence following radial esophagectomy were retrospectively assessed, and evaluated for possible adaptation as a novel classification of recurrent esophageal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and sixty thoracic esophageal cancer patients (142 men; 18 women), who underwent radical esophagectomy without preoperative treatment, were studied. RESULTS: Recurrence occurred in 59 (36.8%) patients. The relationship between recurrence and clinicopathological features revealed significant associations between recurrence and age at surgery (p<0.05), tumor (p<0.0001), lymph node (p<0.0001) and metastatic status (p<0.01), pathological stage (p<0.0001) and lymph node dissection (p<0.0001). Locoregional recurrence occurred in 13 (22%) patients, distant in 30 (51%) and mixed in 16 (27%). Mixed recurrence occurred the fastest and showed the poorest prognosis. A novel classification for recurrent esophageal cancer was proposed based on the clinical findings. Univariate analysis of the prognostic factors for post-recurrent survival revealed a significant association with distant organ recurrence (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Mixed recurrence had a poorer outcome than other recurrences. The proposed classification of clinical findings for recurrent esophageal cancer was shown to be useful; however, further studies with a larger number of recurrent esophageal cancers are required for stage grouping of the proposed classification.

Adult↗

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Expression of p53 in esophageal carcinoma with multiple areas unstained by iodine.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is occasionally associated with multiple areas in the surrounding mucosa unstained with iodine. METHODOLOGY: We examined 21 male patients with superficial esophageal carcinoma. Group 1 consisted of 4 cases of superficial esophageal carcinoma associated with multiple lesions that did not stain with iodine. Group 2 comprised 17 cases of a solitary tumor without major additional lesions in the mucosa. We assessed the correlation between clinicopathological factors, a history of tobacco and alcohol consumption, and p53 expression in the two groups. RESULTS: We found four cases (group 1) of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma where there were a total of 10 satellite tumors in addition to the main tumor. These patients tended to have a higher daily consumption of tobacco and alcohol than those in group 2. Moreover in all these group 1 cases there was intraepithelial spread of the tumors and p53 overexpression in all of the main and additional tumors. CONCLUSIONS: We have found that higher tobacco and alcohol consumption are closely related to multiple lesions unstained by iodine and abnormal expression of the p53 gene.

Adult↗

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Evaluation of tumor malignancy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma using different characteristic factors.

BACKGROUND: We have been investigating various molecules correlated with the malignancy of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and, in the present study, we examined the correlation of four of them (KAI1, FAK, EphA2, Ki-67 labeling index) with the prognosis of affected patients. Furthermore, the use of biopsy samples was studied to evaluate whether the grade of tumor malignancy can be determined before treatment in a clinical setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tissue specimens that had been surgically removed from 91 patients with thoracic esophageal cancer and 247 biopsy samples were examined. The malignancy index (MI) was defined in terms of the KAI1, FAK and EphA2 scores and the Ki-67 labeling index, and the reliability and utility of the correlation between MI and prognosis was evaluated. RESULTS: The mean 5-year survival rate of patients with MI=0 was 100%, while that of patients with MI=1, 2 and 3 was 70%, 48% and 10%, respectively. Patients with MI=4 all died, with the exception of one who has been observed for 3 years. The rate of concordance between the biopsy samples and surgical specimens was 79.4% for KAI1, 88.2% for FAK and 73.5% for EphA2, and the rates of concordance for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 biopsy samples were 66.7%, 64.1%, 74.5%, 90.7%, 91.7%, 83.3%, 100% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSION: It may be feasible to evaluate the malignancy of tumor cells and to predict patient outcome by using multiple marker molecules. It is anticipated that such data will accelerate the development of "tailor-made" therapy.

Adult↗

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Comparison between whole-body positron emission tomography and bone scintigraphy in evaluating bony metastases of esophageal carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: Positron emission tomography (PET) with 18-F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) has already proved useful in assessing the extension of esophageal carcinomas, detecting tumor recurrence and monitoring responses to therapy. This study aimed to elucidate the potential role of FDG-PET compared with technetium-99m methylene diphosphonate (Tc-99m MDP) bone scintigraphy in the evaluation of bony metastasis in esophageal carcinoma patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-four patients with thoracic esophageal carcinomas, who underwent FDG-PET together with bone scintigraphy within 1 month between January 2000 and September 2003, were included in this study. RESULTS: Of the 44 patients, 13 had 31 bone metastases and, of these, 6 were diagnosed pretreatment and 7 had recurrence after esophagectomy surgery. Of the 31 metastases, 9 were in the vertebral column, 11 in the thoracic cage (including the ribs, clavicle, sternum and scapula), 9 in the pelvic bones and 2 in the long bones of the extremities. In evaluating the detection of bony metastasis, FDG-PET showed 92% sensitivity, 94% specificity and 93% accuracy, compared with 77%, 84% and 82%o, respectively, for bone scintigraphy. Although the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of PET were slightly higher than those of bone scintigraphy, these differences were not statistically significant according to the McNemar's test. Three patients with false-negative findings on their bone scans had positive findings with PET; all of these lesions were osteolytic metastases. CONCLUSION: FDG-PET scans were superior to bone scintigraphy in detecting bony metastases of esophageal carcinomas. Therefore, FDG-PET can be used for the detection and follow-up of bone tumors when Tc-99m MDP bone scintigraphy gives negative findings.

Adult↗