Oncologists Seek To End Restrictions On PET For Staging Cervical Cancer
This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
Executive Summary
Radiologists and oncologists are supporting a CMS move to revisit its national coverage policy on positron emission tomography for the pre-treatment staging of cervical cancer
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Under Aug. 13 proposed decision, the Medicare agency would lift data collection requirements for positron emission tomography scans of cervical cancer patients when used to make "meaningful changes in therapeutic management." The proposal limits coverage to one PET scan with the radioactive tracer F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose when needed to locate a tumor or determine the extent of the tumor in specific therapeutic situations. CMS also proposes non-coverage of PET in diagnosing cervical cancer (1"The Gray Sheet" June 15, 2009). The agency opened the coverage analysis May 8 at the request of two oncology professors (2"The Gray Sheet" May 18, 2009). Comments are due Sept. 12, and the agency plans a final ruling by Nov. 11