The Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) has responded to today's comments from the officials of the U.S. Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) regarding the value of FDG PET imaging for breast cancer.
The Reston-VA-based SNM said there is increasing research demonstrating the positive impact of PET studies in breast cancer patients, adding that the research has been published on more than 2,500 breast cancer patients imaged with PET so far.
Based on an independent assessment conducted by the Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Technology Evaluation Center released on Thursday, HCFA is expected to tell its advisory panel on June 19 that the prevalence of false-negatives may be too high to determine whether a biopsy is necessary. The study found that the risk of a false-negative result is 12% for patients with a 50% probability of disease, and 29% for those with a 75% probability of malignancy.
The SNM responded that there is growing evidence of PET's value among many breast cancer patients. Dr. Peter Conti, who heads the scientific program committee for the society, will present the latest findings at this month's SNM meeting in Toronto.
"During his presentation, Dr. Conti will argue that PET provides an invaluable tool for patients with advanced disease, particularly those for whom additional chemotherapy is being considered, and/or for whom there is a need to evaluate and restage disease in patients with known or suspected recurrence," and for which CT and MRI are inadequate, the society said.
Dr. Conti will also present evidence of PET's value in imaging women with dense or surgically manipulated breasts, according to the SNM.
"We hope HCFA will keep an open mind to the new data that's being presented," SNM spokesman William Uffelman told AuntMinnie.com.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writers
June 8, 2001
Reuters Health contributed to this story.
Related Reading
Medicare coverage of PET imaging for breast cancer to be challenged, June 8, 2001
Copyright © 2001 AuntMinnie.com
