Doctors reviewed data from fourteen different studies to see how often a special scan called 18-FDG PET/CT changes patient care. The scan uses a radioactive sugar to light up active cancer cells inside the body. Seven of the studies had enough clear numbers to combine into a single report.
About twenty-two percent of patients had their treatment plan changed because of the scan results. This change usually happened because the scan found cancer in places doctors did not see before. Finding this hidden spread of disease helps doctors decide if surgery is safe or if chemotherapy is needed first.
The review could not prove that the scan improves survival or lowers costs because the data was too different between studies. Many hospitals treat patients differently, so the results vary from place to place. However, the scan is safe and does not cause harm to patients during the test.
This new imaging tool helps medical teams make better choices for patients with abdominal cancers. It finds problems earlier so doctors can choose the right treatment for each person. The scan is a useful tool that helps guide care for many patients with serious illness.