Download Evaluating PET Imaging

Evaluating
PET Imaging
for Predicting Treatment Effectiveness
A
re you about to receive chemotherapy and radiation for lung cancer
that cannot be treated with surgery?
You may be able to join a study to test the ability of
PET imaging to predict treatment effectiveness.
he standard treatment for patients with
advanced lung cancer is a combination of
chemotherapy and radiation therapy. New
ways to combine these two treatments are being
developed to more effectively treat cancer. To help
determine what treatment is best for a patient,
researchers are investigating how imaging tests can
provide information about the effectiveness of a specific
treatment as soon as possible.
T
The goal of this study is to see if positron
emission tomography (PET) imaging can be useful for
evaluating the effectiveness of specific chemotherapy
and radiation therapy treatments. It is hoped that the
results of this study will give researchers the information
they need to predict how well lung cancer will respond
to specific treatment combinations. About 250 people
will take part in this nationwide research study.
Most insurance companies cover PET scans for
lung cancer, however participants will need to check
about their individual coverage. Joining this study is
entirely voluntary. The study is funded by the National
Cancer Institute and coordinated by the American
College of Radiology Imagining Network and the
Radiation Therapy Oncology Group.
See next page for
more information about this study.
he American College of Radiology Imaging
Network (ACRIN) and the Radiation Therapy
Oncology Group (RTOG) are national cancer
research organizations funded by the National Cancer
Institute. They include investigators at over 300 leading
medical facilities in North America and abroad.
T
The goal of ACRIN is to increase the longevity
and improve the quality of life of cancer patients by
conducting clinical trials that evaluate diagnostic
imaging and image-guided treatment procedures.
RTOG has played a key role in the
development of new treatments for cancer for over 30
years. The goal of the RTOG is to increase survival and
improve quality of life for patients diagnosed with
cancer.
www.acrin.org
American College of Radiology Imaging Network
www.rtog.org
Radiation Therapy Oncology Group
Click here for a list of participating sites.
Supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute.
Printed February 2005
ACRIN 6668 / RTOG 0235
Positron Emission Tomography Pre- and Post-treatment
Assessment for Locally Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Carcinoma
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join this study?
You may be eligible for this study if:
• you have inoperable non-small cell lung cancer
• you are scheduled to be treated with both
chemotherapy and radiotherapy
• you are able to tolerate PET imaging.
Who cannot participate?
You cannot participate if:
• you are under 18 years of age
• you are being treated on a Phase I clinical research
study that uses investigational drug therapy
• you have had prior radiation therapy to the lung
• you had cancer (other than skin cancer – except
melanoma) and have not been disease-free for more
than three years
• you are pregnant
• you are sexually active and are not willing to use
birth control devices.
What if I choose to join this study?
After you and your doctor decide the best treatment
plan for you, you will undergo the standard medical
screening procedures that are part of regular cancer
care. In addition, before starting your chemotherapy
and radiation therapy you will have a PET scan.
Prior to your PET scan a small sample of blood will
be taken. Approximately 45 minutes before the scan,
you will be injected in a vein in your hand or arm
with a small amount of a chemical called radionuclide
which is similar to sugar. You will then rest quietly
until your scan time. During the PET scan you will lie
still on a partially enclosed scanning table for 20-60
minutes.
After your pre-treatment PET scan you will begin
your planned course of chemotherapy and radiation
therapy. About three months after your radiation
treatments are finished you will have a second PET
scan.
What is PET imaging?
Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, also
called a PET scan, is a test that images the function
of cells to show differences between healthy tissue
and diseased tissue. PET scans use a small amount
of a chemical called radionuclide combined with a
sugar that is injected into the patient. The
radionuclide emits positrons, tiny particles given off
by a radioactive substance. A PET scanner rotates
around the patient to detect the positron emissions
given off by the radionuclide. Because cancer
grows at a faster rate than healthy tissue, cancer
cells use up more of the sugar that has the
radionuclide attached. A computer evaluates the
rate that the sugar is used and produces a colorcoded picture.
How long will I be on the study?
Your planned treatment will be about seven months
and you will see your doctor(s) for follow-up visits
for the next three years. This follow-up visit
schedule is the same for many patients who are not
part of a clinical study.
Protocol Principal Investigator
Mitchell Machtay, MD
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Administrative Headquarters
1818 Market Street, Suite 1600
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 574-3183
Click here for a list of participating facilities and contact information.