Work-up for metastatic breast cancer

Work-up for metastatic breast cancer

Contrast-enhanced CT of the chest, abdomen and pelvis and an isotope bone scan are needed for patients with locally advanced breast cancer (T3, T4 or N2, N3 disease). Patients with early breast carcinoma (T1, T2 and N0, N1 disease) need metastatic evaluation only if they present with symptoms to suggest metastatic disease or raised serum alkaline phospha 18 18 tase. A PET-CT scan with F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( F-FDG) tracer may be used for metastatic work-up.