Prognostic value of metabolic parameters of 18F-FDG PET/CT in advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with first-line immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Objective:To investigate the prognostic value of metabolic parameters of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18F-FDG) positron emission computed tomography/computed tomography(PET/CT) in advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) treated with first-line immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) combined with chemotherapy. Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate patients with advanced NSCLC who underwent baseline PET/CT before treatment at the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from 2019 to 2021. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the cut-offs for metabolic parameters of PET/CT, including total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), and maximum standard uptake value (SUV max). Kaplan-Meier method, Log-rank test, and Cox regression model were used to calculate the overall survival (OS) and the progression-free survival(PFS). Results:A total of 44 patients were enrolled. Univariate analysis showed that the factors influencing PFS were TMTV and the number of metastatic sites ( χ2=4.19, 11.28, P<0.05) and the factors influencing OS were TMTV and TLG ( χ2=14.96, 6.05, P<0.05). Multivariate analysis suggested that number of metastatic sites was an independent prognostic marker for PFS ( P=0.011) and TMTV was an independent prognostic marker for OS ( P=0.038). Conclusions:TMTV is a prognostic indicator of OS while the number of metastatic sites is a prognostic indicator of PFS in advanced NSCLC patients who received first-line ICI combined with chemotherapy, but further prospective studies are needed.

Relationship between metabolic parameters of 18F-FDG PET-CT and clinical characteristics in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma / 白血病·淋巴瘤

Objective:To investigate the relationship between metabolic parameters of 18F-FDG PET-CT and clinical characteristics in newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Methods:The clinical data of 47 MM patients who underwent 18F-FDG PET-CT at initial diagnosis from June 2018 to December 2020 in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. The association of metabolic parameters of 18F-FDG PET-CT with the following clinical parameters including age, gender, disease classification, DS stage, international staging system (ISS) stage, hemoglobin, albumin, serum calcium, serum crearinine, lactate dehydrogenase, β 2-microglobulin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), bone marrow plasma cell ratio, the number of lesions and extramedullary lesions. Results:Among 47 MM patients, in terms of tumor metabolic volume (MTV), patients at DS stage Ⅲ was higher than those at stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ [172.88 (42.69, 391.55) vs. 19.63 (4.24, 42.61), P < 0.001], patients with serum calcium ≥ 2.65 mmol/L was higher than those with serum calcium <2.65 mmol/L [310.71 (99.68, 549.62) vs. 58.00 (19.63, 248.34), P = 0.038], patients with hs-CRP ≥ 3.3 mg/L was higher than those hs-CRP < 3.3 mg/L [211.39 (57.79, 397.70) vs. 35.34 (7.91, 153.02), P = 0.002], and patients with the number of lesions >3 was higher than those with the number of lesions ≤ 3 [211.39 (57.79, 393.02) vs. 16.43 (5.12, 38.23), P < 0.001]. In terms of total lesion glycolysis (TLG) value, patients at DS stage Ⅲ was higher than those at stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ [460.44 (92.62, 1 113.85) vs. 46.68 (9.32, 89.89), P = 0.001], patients with bone marrow plasma cell ratio <10% was higher than those with bone marrow plasma cell ratio ≥10% [1 039.36 (615.28, 1 167.80) vs. 150.80 (45.36, 821.01), P = 0.031], patients with serum calcium ≥ 2.65 mmol/L was higher than those with serum calcium < 2.65 mmol/L [1 031.55 (251.87, 2 115.98) vs. 177.59 (45.82, 761.66), P = 0.033], patients with hs-CRP ≥ 3.3 mg/L was higher than those hs-CRP < 3.3 mg/L [487.40 (141.38, 1 107.02) vs. 63.44 (19.40, 634.31), P = 0.003], patients with lesion number >3 was higher than those with lesion number ≤3 [625.32 (150.80, 1 134.35) vs. 40.04 (10.96, 70.88), P < 0.001]. There were no statistically significant differences in the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max) and mean standardized uptake value (SUV mean) among different clinical parameter groups (all P > 0.05). Conclusion:MTV and TLG in 18F-FDG PET-CT metabolic parameters can better reflect the characteristics of MM patients compared with SUV max and SUV mean.

Predictive value of serum CEA level combined with PET/CT metabolic parameters MTV and TLG in primary liver metastases from colorectal cancer / 中国基层医药

Objective@#To analyze the predictive value of serum carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) level combined with primary PET/CT metabolic parameters, metabolic tumor volume(MTV) and total glycolysis(TLG) in liver metastasis of colorectal cancer.@*Methods@#The clinical data of 86 patients with colorectal cancer who underwent PET/CT examination in the People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province from January 2013 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between clinicopathological parameters, MTV, TLG and liver metastasis.@*Results@#Of the 86 patients, there were 17 cases(19.77%) of liver metastases.Univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences in T stage(χ2=8.83), tumor location(χ2=5.43) and serum CEA content(t=11.65) between the liver metastasis group and the non-liver metastasis group(all P<0.05). The levels of TLG[(101.94±20.14)g] and MTV[(14.09±3.25)cm3] in the liver metastasis group were significantly lower than those in the non-liver metastasis group[(135.95±22.63)g, (25.09±4.33)cm3](t=5.66, 9.80, all P<0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that T stage(OR=3.56, 95%CI: 1.06-12.00), tumor location(OR=1.38, 95% CI: 1.05-1.81), TLG(OR=1.68, 95% CI: 1.11-2.54), MTV(OR=3.86, 95% CI: 1.63-9.14) and serum CEA(OR=2.95, 95% CI: 1.60-5.41) were the influencing factors of liver metastases in patients with colorectal cancer(all P<0.05).@*Conclusion@#T stage, tumor location, primary PET/CT metabolic parameters(TLG, MTV) and serum CEA levels are the influencing factors of liver metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer, suggesting that the detection of serum CEA level combined with primary PET/CT metabolic parameters has certain predictive value for liver metastasis of colorectal cancer.

Predictive value of serum CEA level combined with PET/CT metabolic parameters MTV and TLG in primary liver metastases from colorectal cancer / 中国基层医药

Objective To analyze the predictive value of serum carcinoembryonic antigen ( CEA) level combined with primary PET/CT metabolic parameters,metabolic tumor volume( MTV) and total glycolysis( TLG) in liver metastasis of colorectal cancer.Methods The clinical data of 86 patients with colorectal cancer who underwent PET/CT examination in the People＇s Hospital of Zhejiang Province from January 2013 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between clinicopathological parameters,MTV, TLG and liver metastasis. Results Of the 86 patients, there were 17 cases (19.77%) of liver metastases.Univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences in T stage( χ2 =8.83),tumor location(χ2 =5.43) and serum CEA content(t=11.65) between the liver metastasis group and the non-liver metastasis group(all P＜0.05).The levels of TLG[(101.94 ±20.14)g] and MTV[(14.09 ±3.25)cm3] in the liver metastasis group were significantly lower than those in the non-liver metastasis group[(135.95 ± 22.63) g, (25.09 ± 4.33)cm3] ( t=5.66,9.80,all P＜0.01).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that T stage ( OR=3.56,95%CI:1.06-12.00),tumor location(OR=1.38,95% CI:1.05-1.81),TLG(OR=1.68,95% CI: 1.11-2.54),MTV(OR=3.86,95% CI:1.63-9.14) and serum CEA( OR=2.95,95% CI:1.60-5.41) were the influencing factors of liver metastases in patients with colorectal cancer( all P＜0.05).Conclusion T stage, tumor location,primary PET/CT metabolic parameters(TLG,MTV) and serum CEA levels are the influencing factors of liver metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer,suggesting that the detection of serum CEA level combined with primary PET/CT metabolic parameters has certain predictive value for liver metastasis of colorectal cancer.

Prognostic Value of Baseline and Interim Total Metabolic Tumor Volume and Total Lesion Glycolysis Measured on ¹⁸F-FDG PET-CT in Patients with Follicular Lymphoma / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) in patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) at baseline and mid-treatment with ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study analyzed data from 48 patients with FL who were treated in Jiangsu Province Hospital and reviewed their baseline PET-CT scans. TMTV and TLG were computed by using the absolute value of 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 thresholding method, respectively. RESULTS: Median age was 53 years, 75.0% of patients had stage III to IV disease, 43.8% had a Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index 1 (FLIPI1) score of 3 to 5 and 20.8% had a FLIPI2 score of 3 to 5. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed the optimal cut-off values for TMTV3.0 and TLG3.0 were 476.4 (sensitivity, 85.7%; specificity, 78.0%; area under the curve [AUC], 0.760; p=0.003) and 2,676.9 (sensitivity, 71.4%; specificity, 78.0%; AUC, 0.760; p=0.003). On multivariable analysis, TMTV3.0 and TLG3.0 were independent predictors of both progression-free survival (PFS) (hazard ratio [HR], 5.406; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.326 to 22.040; p=0.019 and HR, 6.502; 95% CI, 1.079 to 39.182; p=0.042) and overall survival (OS) (HR, 4.111; 95% CI, 1.125 to 15.027; p=0.033 and HR, 5.885; 95% CI, 1.014 to 34.148; p=0.049). ROC curve analysis showed the optimal cut-off values for ΔTMTV3.0 and ΔTLG3.0 were 66.3% (sensitivity, 85.7%; specificity, 63.4%; AUC, 0.774; p 66.3%) and TLG (ΔTLG > 64.5%) reduction are valuable tools for early treatment response assessment in FL patients.

Significance of Metabolic Tumor Volume and Total Lesion Glycolysis Measured Using ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT in Locally Advanced and Metastatic Gallbladder Carcinoma

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the prognostic value of new quantitative parameters of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT), including metabolic tumor volume (MTV), in patients with locally advanced and metastatic gallbladder cancer (GBC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 83 patients initially diagnosed with locally advanced and metastatic GBC and who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT at the time of initial diagnosis were retrospectively reviewed. The metabolic volume-based PET parameters of primary tumors and metastatic lesions were measured, including maximum and average standardized uptake values (SUV), MTV, and total lesion glycolysis. An overall survival (OS) analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method with PET and clinical parameters. A Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed to determine independent prognostic factors. RESULTS: In univariate analysis, pathologic differentiation (p<0.001), performance status (PS; p=0.003), C-reactive protein (CRP) level (p=0.009), and PET-related SUVmt max (the highest SUV among the metastatic lesions) (p=0.040) and MTVtotal (the sum of the MTVs of both the primary and metastatic lesions) (p=0.031), were significant for OS. In multivariate analysis, MTVtotal (hazard ratio: 2.07; 95% confidence interval: 1.23–3.48; p=0.006) remained significant for the prediction of OS, as did differentiation (p=0.001), PS (p=0.001), and CRP (p=0.039). CONCLUSION: In locally advanced and metastatic GBC, volume-based PET/CT parameters of the total tumor burden of malignancy, such as MTVtotal, were found to be useful for the identification of patients with poor prognosis.

Diagnostic Value of Volume-Based Fluorine-18-Fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT Parameters for Characterizing Thyroid Incidentaloma

OBJECTIVE: To assess clinical value of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for differentiation of malignant from benign focal thyroid incidentaloma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 99 patients with focal thyroid incidentaloma of 5216 non-thyroid cancer patients that had undergone PET/CT. PET/CT semi-quantitative parameters, volume-based functional parameters, metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) of thyroid incidentaloma were assessed. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted and areas under the curve (AUC) were compared by Hanley and McNeil test to evaluate usefulness of maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), MTV and TLG, as markers for differentiating malignant from benign thyroid incidentalomas. RESULTS: Of 99 thyroid incidentalomas, 64 (64.6%) were malignant and 35 (35.4%) were benign. Malignant thyroid incidentalomas were larger (1.8 cm vs. 1.3 cm, p = 0.006), and had higher SUVmax (11.3 vs. 4.8, p 0.05). A threshold TLG 4.0 of 2.475 had 81.3% sensitivity and 94.3% specificity for identifying malignant thyroid incidentalomas. CONCLUSION: Volume-based PET/CT parameters could potentially have clinical value in differential diagnosis of thyroid incidentaloma along with SUVmax.

Predictive Value of Preoperative Volume-Based 18F-2-Fluoro-2-Deoxy-D-Glucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Parameters in Patients with Resectable Lung Adenocarcinoma / 대한핵의학회잡지

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG), which are volume-based PET parameters, using 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT) in patients with surgically resectable lung adenocarcinoma.METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 149 patients with lung adenocarcinoma who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT before surgical resection. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), MTV, and TLG of the primary tumor with threshold value of SUVmax 30, 40, and 50% were calculated, respectively. To compare the predictive performance of volume-based PET parameters, recurrence-free survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method.RESULTS: The study included 70 males and 79 females with an average age of 65.8 years. The median follow-up time was 45.4 months. Recurrence was observed in 53 patients (35.6%). The mean ± SD SUVmax, MTV30%, and TLG(30%) of the entire cohort were 4.79 ± 2.94, 19.45 ± 24.85, and 56.43 ± 101.88, respectively. The cut-off values of MTV30% and TLG(30%) for recurrence were 11.07 ad 30.56, respectively. The 1-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate was 96.5% in low-MTV30% patients compared with 86.2% in high-MTV30% patients (p = 0.018) and 96.0% in low-TLG(30%) patients compared with 88.5% in high-TLG(30%) patients (p < 0.001). On univariate and multivariate analysis, TLG(30%) (HR, 2.828, p < 0.001; HR, 2.738, p < 0.001, respectively) was an independent prognostic factor for predicting recurrence-free survival (RFS).CONCLUSION: TLG(30%) value was observed to be a significant prognostic factor for RFS in patients with lung adenocarcinoma treated by surgical resection.

Current Methods to Define Metabolic Tumor Volume in Positron Emission Tomography: Which One is Better? / 대한핵의학회잡지

Numerous methods to segment tumors using ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) have been introduced. Metabolic tumor volume (MTV) refers to the metabolically active volume of the tumor segmented using FDG PET, and has been shown to be useful in predicting patient outcome and in assessing treatment response. Also, tumor segmentation using FDG PET has useful applications in radiotherapy treatment planning. Despite extensive research on MTV showing promising results, MTV is not used in standard clinical practice yet, mainly because there is no consensus on the optimal method to segment tumors in FDG PET images. In this review, we discuss currently available methods to measure MTV using FDG PET, and assess the advantages and disadvantages of the methods.

Relationship Between Dual Time Point FDG PET/CTand Clinical Prognostic Indexes in Patients with High Grade Lymphoma: a Pilot Study / 대한핵의학회잡지

PURPOSE: This study investigated the correlative relationship between metabolic parameters estimated from dual time point 2-deoxy-2-[¹⁸F] fluoro-D-glucose (¹⁸F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computerized tomography (PET/CT) and the clinical tools predicting the outcome of a lymphoma. We also measured metabolic and volumetric alterations between early and delayed ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT in patients with high grade lymphoma (HGL).METHODS: The samples were 122 lymph nodes and extralymphatic lesions from 26 patients diagnosed with HGL. All patients were applied to the International Prognostic Index (IPI), Ann Arbor stage, and revised IPI as clinical prognostic parameters. ¹⁸F-FDG dual time point PET/ CT (DTPFP) consisted of an early scan 1 h after ¹⁸F-FDG injection and a delayed scan 2 h after the early scan. Based on an analysis of DTPFP, we estimated the standardized uptake value (SUV) of tumors from the early and delayed scans, retention index (RI) representing the percentage change between early and delayed SUV, and metabolic volume different index (MVDI) calculated using metabolic tumor volumes (MTV).RESULTS: RI(max) showed a multiple positive correlative relationship with stage and IPI in lesion-by-lesion analysis (p < 0.01). In the case of IPI, the high risk group exhibited higher RI(max) than the low risk group (p = 0.004). In the case of revised IPI, the RI(max) of the low risk group were significantly lower than the intermediate and high risk groups, respectively (p < 0.01). The MVDIs of the best outcome group were decreased in comparison to the moderate outcome group (p = 0.029). There was a significant negative correlative relationship between RI(max) and MVDI, and the inclinations for decreased MVDIs were slightly associated with increased RIs.CONCLUSIONS: RI(max) extracted from DTPFP had a significant relationship to extranodal involvement, staging, IPI, and revised IPI. MVDI showed significant negative correlation with RI(max). Further large scale studies are warranted to support and extend these preliminary results.

Prognostic value of metabolic parameters determined by preoperative ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT in patients with uterine carcinosarcoma / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prognostic value of metabolic parameters measured by preoperative ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in patients with uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS). METHODS: Data of 55 eligible patients with UCS who underwent preoperative ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT and surgical staging were analyzed retrospectively. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV₂.₅), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG₂.₅) of the primary tumors were measured using a SUV threshold of 2.5. The optimal cutoff value of each parameter was determined by time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve, and its impact on progression-free survival and overall survival was evaluated by Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: During a median follow-up period of 29 (range, 1.5–109.4) months, 47.3% (26/55) of the patients experienced disease progression, and the disease-associated mortality rate was 43.6% (24/55). Univariate analysis determined that hazard ratios (HRs) for disease progression for SUVmax (≥8.33), MTV₂.₅ (≥63.92 mL), and TLG₂.₅ (≥396.16) were 1.930 (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.793–4.701), 3.264 (95% CI=1.466–7.268), and 2.692 (95% CI=1.224–5.924), respectively. And, HRs for death were 1.979 (95% CI=0.774–5.060), 2.764 (95% CI=1.217–6.274), and 2.721 (95% CI=1.198–6.182), respectively. While peritoneal cytology, histology, and tumor diameter were independent prognostic factors in multivariate analysis, MTV and TLG were not. CONCLUSION: Though MTV and TLG of primary UCS were not independent predictors compared to surgically obtained data, MTV and TLG of primary UCS may provide useful information on prognosis especially in patients who are not able to undergo surgical staging.

Predictive value of metabolic tumor volume and total lesion glycolysis in 18F-FDG PET-CT imaging for postoperative recurrence and prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer / 肿瘤研究与临床

Objective To investigate the predictive value of metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) calculated from 18F-FDG PET-CT results for postoperative recurrence and prognosis in patients with resectable pancreatic cancer. Methods From may 2009 to December 2015, 30 patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent curative resection after PET-CT examination were enrolled, and the clinic pathological data and 18F-FDG PET-CT data were retrospectively analyzed. The prognostic value of SUVmax, SUVmean, MTV, TLG and other prognosis factors were analyzed. Results In 30 patients with pancreatic cancer, preoperative 18F-FDG PET-CT detected all primary lesion (10 0%). 29 patients were recurrence or metastasis, and 26 patients were died with median of 17.8 months (2.6-39.6 months) follow-up. The median progression-free survival (PFS) time was 6.5 months and the median overall survival (OS) time was 11.6 months. The multivariate analysis revealed the histological differentiation and MTV were the independent influencing factors for PFS (both P<0.05). The lymph node metastasis, MTV and TLG were the independent influencing factors for OS (all P<0.05). Conclusion The MTV and TLG of PET-CT may be predicting the recurrence and survival of patients with pancreatic cancer after curative resection, suggesting that it can be used to guide the individual treatment.

Effect of metabolic tumor volume on the prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer / 重庆医学

Objective To investigate the predictive value of metabolic tumor volume (MTV) in angiogenesis and hematoge‐nous metastasis of patients with colorectal cancer .Methods Totally 108 patients with colorectal cancer from January 2011 to De‐cember 2015 were enrolled into the study and divided into metastasis group (n=42) and non‐metastasis group (n=66) according to whether combining with hematogenous metastasis .All patients received 18 F‐2‐fluoro‐D‐glucose positron emission tomography/com‐puted tomography (18F‐FDG PET/CT) before operation ,then used the PET VERA software to automatically calculate MTV ac‐cording to the 40% of standard uptake value max(SUVmax ) as the threshold .The blood vessels were identified with CD34+ immu‐nohistochemical staining ,then measured the microvessel density (MVD) .The clinical pathologic data ,SUVmax ,MTV and MVD were compared between metastasis group and non‐metastasis group .The area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve (AUC) was performed to evaluate the predictive value of MTV on hematogenous metastasis .Results SUVmax ,MTV and MVD in metastasis group were significantly higher than that in non‐metastasis group (P0 .05) ,MVD and SUVmax (r=0 .179 ,P=0 .064>0 .05) .AUC of MTV was 0 .736 ,and the best threshold value was 15 .016 cm3 ,whose sensitivity ,specificity ,positive predictive value ,negative predictive value and Youden index were 83 .3% ,63 .6% , 59 .3% ,85 .7% and 47 .0% respectively .Conclusion Compared with SUVmax ,MTV of colorectal cancer is associated with angio‐genesis and hematogenous metastasis ,so as to predict the prognosis of colorectal cancer ,which is worthy of clinical application .

Total Lesion Glycolysis Using 18F-FDG PET/CT as a Prognostic Factor for Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer

Standardized uptake value (SUV), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) have been considered prognostic factors for survival in many cancers. However, their prognostic value for radiotherapy-treated squamous esophageal cancer has not been evaluated. In this study, SUV, MTV, and TLG were measured to predict their prognostic role in overall survival (OS) in 38 esophageal cancer patients who had undergone 18F-FDG PET/CT before radiotherapy. TLG demonstrated higher sensitivity and specificity for predicting OS than MTV and SUV; and a better OS was observed in patients with low TLG compared to those with high TLG in locally advanced disease (OS, 46.9 months; 95% confidence interval [CI], 33.50-60.26 vs. 25.3 months; 95% CI, 8.37-42.28; P=0.003). Multivariate analyses in these patients determined that TLG and the use of combination chemotherapy were the independent prognostic factors for OS (hazard ratio [HR], 7.12; 95% CI, 2.038-24.857; P=0.002 and HR, 6.76; 95% CI, 2.149-21.248; P=0.001, respectively). These results suggest that TLG is an independent prognostic factor for OS and a better predictor of survival than MTV and SUV in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer treated with radiotherapy.

Prognostic Significance of Volume-Based FDG PET/CT Parameters in Patients with Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Treated with Chemoradiation Therapy

PURPOSE: We investigated the prognostic role of volume-based parameters measured on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) scans in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) treated with chemoradiation therapy (CRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 60 patients with LAPC who underwent FDG PET/CT before CRT. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) of primary pancreatic cancers were measured on FDG PET/CT scans. Treatment response was evaluated according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine independent prognostic factors. RESULTS: The progression-free survival (PFS), locoregional progression-free survival (LRFPS), and overall survival (OS) for this population were 6.2, 10.9, and 13.2 months, respectively. The overall treatment response rate was 16.7% at 4 weeks after CRT, and the disease control rate (DCR) was 80.0%. DCR was significantly higher in patients with low SUVmax, MTV, or TLG, and showed strong correlation with longer survival times. On univariate analysis, MTV and TLG were significant prognostic factors for PFS, LRPFS, and OS, together with pre-CRT and post-CRT CA19-9 levels. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that MTV together with the pre-CRT CA19-9 level were independent prognostic factors for PFS, LRPFS, and OS, as was TLG for LRPFS and OS. CONCLUSION: MTV and the pre-CRT CA19-9 level provided independent prognostic information in patients with LAPC treated with CRT. Volume-based PET/CT parameters may be useful in identifying which subgroup of patients would benefit from radiation therapy as a part of CRT.

Prognostic Significance of Volume-Based PET Parameters in Cancer Patients

Accurate prediction of cancer prognosis before the start of treatment is important since these predictions often affect the choice of treatment. Prognosis is usually based on anatomical staging and other clinical factors. However, the conventional system is not sufficient to accurately and reliably determine prognosis. Metabolic parameters measured by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) have the potential to provide valuable information regarding prognosis and treatment response evaluation in cancer patients. Among these parameters, volume-based PET parameters such as metabolic tumor volume and total lesion glycolysis are especially promising. However, the measurement of these parameters is significantly affected by the imaging methodology and specific image characteristics, and a standard method for these parameters has not been established. This review introduces volume-based PET parameters as potential prognostic indicators, and highlights methodological considerations for measurement, potential implications, and prospects for further studies.

Prognostic Value of Volume-Based 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT Parameters in Patients with Clinically Node-Negative Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prognostic value of volume-based metabolic parameters measured with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in patients with clinically node-negative (cN0) oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) as compared with other prognostic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we included a total of 57 patients who had been diagnosed with cN0 tongue cancer by radiologic, 18F-FDG PET/CT, and physical examinations. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), average SUV (SUVavg), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) for primary tumors were measured with 18F-FDG PET. The prognostic significances of these parameters and other clinical variables were assessed by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. RESULTS: In the univariate analysis, pathological node (pN) stage, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, SUVmax, SUVavg, MTV, and TLG were significant predictors for survival. On a multivariate analysis, pN stage (hazard ratio = 10.555, p = 0.049), AJCC stage (hazard ratio = 13.220, p = 0.045), and MTV (hazard ratio = 2.698, p = 0.033) were significant prognostic factors in cN0 OTSCC patients. The patients with MTV > or = 7.78 cm3 showed a worse prognosis than those with MTV < 7.78 cm3 (p = 0.037). CONCLUSION: The MTV of primary tumor as a volumetric parameter of 18F-FDG PET, in addition to pN stage and AJCC stage, is an independent prognostic factor for survival in cN0 OTSCC.

FDG-PET/CT as prognostic factor and surveillance tool for postoperative radiation recurrence in locally advanced head and neck cancer

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prognostic value of metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) on initial positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) and investigate the clinical value of SUVmax for early detection of locoregional recurrent disease after postoperative radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 100 patients with locally advanced HNSCC received primary tumor excision and neck dissection followed by adjuvant radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy. The MTV and SUVmax were measured from primary sites and neck nodes. The prognostic value of MTV and SUVmax were assessed using initial staging PET/CT (study A). Follow-up PET/CT scan available after postoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy were evaluated for the SUVmax value and correlated with locoregional recurrence (study B). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to define a threshold value of SUVmax with the highest accuracy for recurrent disease assessment. RESULTS: High MTV (>41 mL) is negative prognostic factor for disease free survival (p = 0.041). Postradiation SUVmax was significantly correlated with locoregional recurrence (hazard ratio, 1.812; 95% confidence interval, 1.361 to 2.413; p < 0.001). A cut-off value of 5.38 from follow-up PET/CT was identified as having maximal accuracy for detecting locoregional recurrence by ROC analysis. CONCLUSION: MTV at staging work-up was significantly associated with disease free survival. The SUVmax value from follow-up PET/CT showed high diagnostic accuracy for the detection of locoregional recurrence in postoperatively irradiated HNSCC.