gms | German Medical Science

Komplexe Interventionen – Entwicklung durch Austausch: 13. Jahrestagung des Deutschen Netzwerks Evidenzbasierte Medizin

Deutsches Netzwerk Evidenzbasierte Medizin e. V.

15.03. - 17.03.2012, Hamburg

Positron emission tomography (PET) and PET/CT for staging non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) – a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Meeting Abstract

Komplexe Interventionen – Entwicklung durch Austausch. 13. Jahrestagung des Deutschen Netzwerks Evidenzbasierte Medizin. Hamburg, 15.-17.03.2012. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2012. Doc12ebm076

doi: 10.3205/12ebm076, urn:nbn:de:0183-12ebm0760

Veröffentlicht: 5. März 2012

© 2012 Müller et al.
Dieser Artikel ist ein Open Access-Artikel und steht unter den Creative Commons Lizenzbedingungen (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.de). Er darf vervielfältigt, verbreitet und öffentlich zugänglich gemacht werden, vorausgesetzt dass Autor und Quelle genannt werden.


Gliederung

Text

Background: The accurate staging of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is important for the management of subsequent therapy especially for patients with higher stages of disease. Based on current medical guidelines, for patients who have distant metastases, thoracotomy would not be curative. Therefore the aim of a number of studies investigating PET for preoperative staging is to reduce futile thoracotomies without decreasing levels of other patient relevant outcomes (e.g. survival) at the same time.

Methods: We searched for relevant primary studies, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), in MEDLINE (1966 to 11/2011), EMBASE (1980 to 11/2011) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Clinical Trials, 11/2011). For assessing risk of bias and study limitations of the included studies, typical IQWiG (Institute of Quality and Efficiency in Health Care, Germany) criteria will be used. These criteria are similar to those of the Cochrane Collaboration.

Patient relevant outcomes as reduction of thoracotomies overall, the reduction of futile thoracotomies, overall survival and health related quality of life will be summarised to evaluate the potential benefits and harms of PET or PET/CT for patients.

Results: The search identified 5 published RCTs on PET or PET/CT in NSCLC staging with more than 1,300 eligible patients. At this point we are waiting for author queries in order to fully complete the meta-analysis.

To our knowledge no current systematic review on comparative studies with patient relevant outcomes is available in this clinical field. The goal of this review is therefore a benefit-risk assessment of PET or PET/CT in staging patients with NSCLC. The potential of the PET to avoid futile thoracotomies will be discussed with respect to the omitted needful ones as well as to overall survival.