Neoadjuvant chemotherapy of breast cancer: early assessment of therapeutic response with in-vivo 1HMR spectroscopy / 中华放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the values of tCho concentration in early assessment therapeutic response of tumor to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with 1HMR spectroscopy. Methods Twenty patients with breast cancer were recruited. All patients underwent biopsy before neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery after chemotherapy. The pathologic results before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy were compared. The patients were divided into effective response group (R) and ineffective response group (IR). MRS acquisitions were performed within 1 week before chemotherapy and within 3 week after the first cycle of chemotherapy, respectively. The tCho concentration was calculated quantitatively using external standard method. The tCho concentrations before and after chemotherapy and the tumor sizes between R group and IR group were compared using t test and nonparametrie test. The values of tCho concentration in early assessment of the effectiveness of chemotherapy were analyzed by ROC. Results Of 20 cases, 16 were included in R group and 4 in IR group. In R group, significant differences of tCho concentration (t=5. 040, P < 0. 01 ) existed between before and after chemotherapy [ (4. 24 ± 3.09 ), ( 1.13 ± 1.14 ) mmol/L ], while not in I R group [ ( 3.72 ± 2. 69), ( 3.06 ± 2. 21 ) mmol/L, t = 1. 785, P > 0. 05 ]. The median sizes of tumor between R and IR group had no significant differences (0. 00,0. 00 cm, U = 23.00, W = 33.00, P = 0. 437). The area under ROC curve of tCho concentration was 0. 984. Conclusion With in vivo 1HMRS, the tChn concentration in breast cancer can serve as an indicator for predicting response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with relatively high sensitivity and specificity.