PET and CT scans critical new modality in determining chemo effectiveness
Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 12:26 Last night on the evening news and then again in this mornings paper I saw, with great interest, short articles and soundbites regarding the use of PET scans being used to more accurately guage the early effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs.
This is important, since weeks can elapse between chemo infusions - leaving the patient in a horrible state of wondering if it’s working, and doctors in an awkward position of wondering if this or that particular cocktail of chemo drugs are, indeed, optimal or should be changed.
Instead of simply reporting what I read in today’s paper, I went to my most trusted source, The University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center - the nations number one cancer center, and the place where my life was saved. From experience, what I know that what’s in the media today, was already in practice at MDACC.
AT MDACC, the really big news was the fusion of PET and CT scan technology, enabling clinicians to look even deeper than just cellular activity - down to molecular activity. This advance will save lives and enhance treatment enormously.