Study finds less invasive way to monitor chemo

April 15, 2009 Oncologists often have to wait months before they can see if a treatment is killing cancer cells. Researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center say they can determine the effectiveness after a single cycle of chemotherapy.

Using a combination PET and CT scanner, researchers monitored 50 patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment to shrink their tumors before surgery.

The study found that response could be determined about one week after the first dose of chemotherapy drugs. The study appears in Wednesday's issue of the Journal Clinical Cancer Research.