How ominous is an abnormal scan in bronchogenic carcinoma?
S. Gravenstein, M. A. Peltz and W. Pories
Bone, brain, and liver radioisotope scans as prognostic indicators were
studied in a series of 162 patients with primary bronchogenic carcinoma.
One or more scans positive for metastasis reliably predicted death in less
than six months. An abnormal bone scan was most significant (P less than
.001). Reliability in predicting less than one year's survival in abnormal
liver and brain scans was P less than .05 for both. Patients with two
normal scans were found to have a 50% six-month survival expectation. Brain
scans added little information, as they would have predicted a different
prognosis for only three of 114 patients who received them.
