#SUO14 - Session Highlights: Role of 18-FDG PET/CT in staging of penile/urethral squamous cell carcinoma

BETHESDA, MD USA (UroToday.com) - Penile and urethral cancers are rare malignancies and account for less than 1% of cancers in men in the United States. The extent of lymph node involvement is the most important prognostic factor in patients with penile/urethral squamous cell carcinoma. However, inguinal lymph node dissection is associated with significant morbidity. Initial 18F-FDG-PET/CT scan studies have reported promising results and can be helpful to avoid inguinal lymph node dissection in selected patients.

suoNineteen male patients with penile/urethral squamous cell carcinoma were staged by 18F-FDG-PET/CT, and 17 patients were included in the study. Two were excluded—1 with no PET prior to inguinal node dissection and another with two primary tumors. In total, lymph node involvement was assessed in 26 inguinal LN groin dissections. Reference standard was either histology or clinical follow-up with a minimum of 12 months. 18F-FDG-PET/CT scan showed a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 85.71%, 84.21%, 66.67%, and 94.11%, respectively. The authors conclude that 18F-FDG-PET/CT is a promising staging modality, especially in clinically node-positive penile/urethral cancer patients.

Whether or not the imaging would obviate the need for inguinal node dissection is yet to be established, and the data is not there yet. The study is limited by small population size. Additionally the reference standard is both pathology and clinical course.

Presented by:
Sumit Isharwal,1 Robert Goldfarb,2 and Badrinath Konety2
1University of Minnesota; 2University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA

Reported by:
Mohammed Haseebuddin, MD
* from the 2014 Winter Meeting of the Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO) "Defining Excellence in Urologic Oncology" - December 3 - 5, 2014 - Bethesda, MD USA

*Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA USA