The effectiveness of chemotherapy can be accurately determined in sarcoma patients — after only 1 treatment cycle, according to investigators at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). In a single-center study, imaging of tumor metabolic activity with a combination positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanner predicted histopathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in high-grade sarcoma patients — about a week after the first treatment cycle.In the current study, the PET portion of the PET/CT scanner is used in conjunction with a glucose-uptake probe called fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), which allows the investigators to see how much sugar is being consumed by the cancer cells. This metabolic activity makes cancer cells light up under PET scanning. All 8 of the 50 patients in the study who had eventual histopathologic evidence of a response to therapy had a 35% or greater reduction in their glucose metabolism after their first cycle of chemotherapy. The histopathologic response to chemotherapy was defined as 95% or greater necrosis in tumor tissue when the tumor was surgically removed at the end of the regimen. The investigators are now following the patients to see how those with tumor-activity reduction fare in terms of survival, compared with the patients who did not meet the cut-off level of activity reduction. The study and its methods are not novel. Glucose metabolic imaging has been used successfully in patients with esophageal cancer to determine whether neoadjuvant treatment should be continued or discontinued. Clin Cancer Res. 2009;15:2856-2863 Thanks to Medscape (written by Nick Mulcahy) Ann's NOTE: Two things stand out: 1) The ability to KNOW if chemotherapy is effective, and to know right away, is so important. Particularly if one is preparing to use CAM methods - early decision-making to add other modalities, is made simpler. And 2) PET scans work by seeing how much glucose (sugar) is taken up by cancer cells. Remember that because eventually medical doctors will understand that SUGAR is cancer's friend. STOP eating SUGAR NOW! (Glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners are all bad in one way or another). Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables for better health. Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.