FDG-PET imaging is a valuable tool in the management of patients with SCLC for a more accurate staging. The use of quantitative PET parameters may have a role in prediction of stage and survival.

The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical significance of 18F-FDG PET/CT on initial staging and therapy planning in patients with invasive breast cancer. One hundred and forty-one consecutive, biopsy proven preoperative and 195 postoperative high-risk breast cancer patients who were referred for PET/CT for initial staging were included in this retrospective study. The clinical stage had been determined by conventional imaging modalities prior to the PET/CT scan. Of the 141 examined preoperative patients, 19 had clinical stage I (T1N0), 51 had stage IIA (12 T2N0 and 39 T1N1), 49 had stage IIB (2 T3N0 and 47 T2N1), 12 had stage IIIA (11 T3N1, 1 T2N2), 2 had stage IIIB (2 T4N1) and 8 had stage IV. PET/CT modified the staging for 26% of stage I patients, 29% of stage IIA patients, 46% of stage IIB patients, 58% of stage IIIA patients and 100% of stage IIIB patients. PET/CT scans detected extra-axillary regional lymph nodes in 14 (9.9%) patients and distant metastasis in 41 (29%) patients. PET/CT scans detected multifocal lesions in 30 (21%) patients, multicentric lesions in 21 (14%) patients and malign foci in the contralateral breast (bilateral breast cancer) confirmed by biopsy in 5 (3.5%) patients. Of the examined 195 postoperative patients PET/CT detected axillary lymph nodes in 22 (11%) patients, extra-axillary regional lymph nodes in 21 (10%) patients and distant metastasis in 24 (12%) patients. PET/CT findings altered plans for radiotherapy in 22 (11%) patients and chemotherapy was adapted to the meta-static diseases in 24 (12%) patients. PET/CT was revealed to be superior to conventional imaging modalities for the detection of extra-axillary regional metastatic lymph nodes and distant metastases. These features make PET/CT an essential imaging modality for the primary staging of invasive breast cancer, particularly in patients with clinical stages II and III.

It has been shown that BRAF(V600E) mutation in papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) is associated both with pathogenesis and poor prognosis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship of the BRAF(V600E) mutation and the established prognostic factors in a cohort of Turkish patients with PTC. Forty-six cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma have been evaluated for the presence of BRAF(V600E) mutation. BRAF(V600E) has been examined by restriction fragment length polymorphism. BRAF(V600E) mutation status has been compared with well-known histopathological and clinical prognostic parameters such as invasion of thyroid capsule, extrathyroidal extension, and the presence of lymph node and/or distant metastasis. We have found that BRAF(V600E) mutation was present in the majority of our cases (40/46). Considering the stage of the disease, five of the negative cases were in stage 1 while the remaining one was in stage 2. Only one BRAF(V600E) negative case has shown extrathyroidal extension and lymph node metastasis. All four patients with distant metastasis had BRAF(V600E) mutation. Statistical analyses revealed that there are no significant relationship between the BRAF(V600E) mutation and the established prognostic factors. We found a relatively higher BRAF(V600E) mutation rate in classical type PTC than in other similar studies. We think that the limited number of our cases may either weaken or mask some potentially important relationship between BRAF(V600E) mutation and the established prognostic factors.

The presence of distant metastasis is more predictive of survival than PET nodal status in MPM patients. PET/CT has the potential to provide prognostic information in MPM patients and there was a good correlation between overall survival and volume-based PET parameters. Determination of BM uptake may contribute toward the prediction of patient outcome with other quantitative PET parameters.

TCV has a higher incidence of local or distant metastasis and mortality rate. Thus, it must be treated with the highest possible I ablation doses and followed up carefully.