The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has announced its second "top five" list of opportunities to improve the quality and value of cancer care.
No. 3 on the list states that physicians should avoid using advanced imaging technologies -- PET, CT, and radionuclide bone scans -- to monitor for cancer recurrence in patients who have finished initial treatment and have no signs or symptoms of cancer
Using PET or PET/CT to monitor for cancer recurrence in these asymptomatic patients does not improve outcomes or survival, according to ASCO. The modalities can lead to false positives, which can result in patients having additional unnecessary or invasive procedures or treatments or being exposed to additional radiation.
Published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the list was released as part of the Choosing Wisely campaign to encourage conversations between physicians and patients about certain tests and procedures that are not supported by clinical research.
Each recommendation is based on a comprehensive review of current high-level clinical evidence (including published studies and guidelines from ASCO and other organizations), conducted by ASCO's Value of Cancer Care Task Force, which solicited ideas from the full ASCO membership, regional oncology societies, and patient advocates.
