Reliability of Contrast CT and Positron Emission Tomography in Post-Surgical Colorectal Cancer and Its Association with Obesity

Safenaz Y. El Sherity; Shymaa A.  A Shalaby; Nayera E. Hassan; Sahar A. El-Masry; Rokia A. El-Banna

doi:10.3889/oamjms.2019.640

Authors

Safenaz Y. El Sherity Biological Anthropology Department, Medical Research Division, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
Shymaa A. A Shalaby Radiodiagnosis Department, Faculty of Medicine, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt
Nayera E. Hassan Biological Anthropology Department, Medical Research Division, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
Sahar A. El-Masry Biological Anthropology Department, Medical Research Division, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
Rokia A. El-Banna Biological Anthropology Department, Medical Research Division, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2019.640

Keywords:

Post-surgical, PET/CT and colorectal cancer

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Post-surgical recurrence of cancer colon occurs in one-third of patients within the first two years, so early detection is important. The assessment of the therapeutic response is important to change protocol strategy. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography PET/CT, a valuable tool gives both metabolic and anatomic information for whole-body regions. Obesity is an important risk factor for colorectal cancer.

AIM: To evaluate post-surgical and therapeutic colorectal cancer by PET/CT and study obesity association to its prognosis.

METHODS: This was a prospective study involved 93 patients with, post-surgical colorectal cancer examined by PET/CT, then follow up after 4-6 months.

RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference between PET/CT and contrast CT. The sensitivity& the specificity were (96.4%-100% & 92.3%-98.2%) for PET/CT and (84.2%-90.2% & 76.5%-85.4%) for contrast CT respectively. Post-therapeutic follow up showed; progressive course (24.5%), stationary course (26.4%), partial regression (28.3%) and complete regression course (20.8%). Obesity is a risk factor for progression with highly statistically significant to treatment response. Obese patients had a progressive or stationary course of the disease. Also, there was a highly statistically significant association between total abdominal fat & visceral abdominal fat areas with good response of treatment.

CONCLUSION: PET/CT is the most appropriate imaging technique to detect any recurrence or metastases in post-surgical colorectal cancer with high sensitivity and specificity comparing to CT. Obesity is a predictor risk factor for prognosis of the disease, as generally and abdominally (total & visceral fat) had an association with therapeutic response.