A study comparing 2 scans to see how well treatment works for advanced kidney cancer

This study recruited 10 people with renal cell cancer (kidney cancer) that had spread to another part of the body. The research team had hoped to recruit more people, but they were unable to and had to close the trial earlier than planned.

Everyone taking part was due to have treatment with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), such as sunitinib. 

They had scans before treatment (scan 1), during treatment (scan 2) and after treatment (scan 3). The research team looked at the amount of radioactive tracer that was taken up by the cancer on the PET-CT scans. They compared this to the size of the cancer on the CT scans. They wanted to see if there was a link between the two measurements.

They found that the change in the amount of tracer taken up by the cancer between scan 1 and scan 2, was related to the change in the size of the cancer.

But the change in the amount of tracer taken up by the cancer between scan 1 and scan 3, was not related to the change in the size of the cancer.

No one taking part had any serious side effects from the tracer injection.

The research team found that it was difficult to draw any firm conclusions because of the small number of people who took part in the study

We have based this summary on information from the research team. The information they sent us has been reviewed by independent specialists (peer reviewed ) but may not have been published in a medical journal.  The figures we quote above were provided by the research team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.