During the initial 8 months period of
18F-FDG PET/CT examination in our institution eleven cases of double
cancers were detected. Eight cases were simultaneous
second cancers and 3 cases are consecutive
cancers. All cases are clinical ones and were referred from both outside hospitals and our own hospital.
18F-FDG PET/CT examination were utilized either to determine the extent of
tumor or to stage the
cancer or to detect recurrent
tumors during the follow-up period. During the 8-months period 964 cases were studied. Therefore, the detection rates of simultaneous and consecutive
cancers are 0.83% and 0.31% respectively. All together the detection rate of double
cancer was 1.14%. To gain the general conception of double
cancers the authors reviewed the autopsy registry of Japanese Society of Pathology during the four years from 2000 through 2003, and tabulated the combination of primary and
second cancers. Frequently found combination of
cancers were
cancers of the thyroid, lung, stomach, liver, biliary tract, colon, rectum, and prostate.
18F-FDG PET/CT examination seems to be very useful in the management of
cancer patients in terms of whole patient care.