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Assessment of tumor response to chemoradiotherapy and predicting prognosis in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by PERCIST

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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate therapeutic response to chemoradiotherapy and prediction of recurrence and death in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) using Positron Emission Tomography Response Criteria in Solid Tumors (PERCIST).

Materials and methods

Forty-two patients (mean 63.4, range 20–79 years) with nasopharyngeal (n = 10), oropharyngeal (n = 13), hypopharyngeal (n = 11), or laryngeal (n = 8) cancer underwent fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) before and approximately 3 months (mean 95.0, range 70–119 days) after undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The effect of PERCIST regarding progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was examined using log-rank and Cox methods.

Results

Complete metabolic response (CMR), partial metabolic response (PMR), stable metabolic disease (SMD), and progressive metabolic disease shown by PERCIST were seen in 30 (71.4%), 9 (21.4%), 3 (7.1%), and 0 patients, respectively. Fourteen (33.3%) developed recurrent disease (median follow-up 27.2, range 8.7–123.1 months) and 9 (21.4%) died (median follow-up 43.6, range 9.6–132.6 months). Furthermore, 4 (13.3%) of 30 patients with CMR developed recurrence, while 7 (77.8%) of 9 with PMR and all 3 (100%) with SMD developed recurrence. Two (6.7%) of 30 patients with CMR, 4 (44.4%) of 9 with PMR, and all 3 (100%) with SMD died. Patients who achieved CMR showed significantly longer PFS and OS as compared to those who did not (PMR and SMD) (both, p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

PERCIST is useful for evaluating therapeutic response to chemoradiotherapy and predicting recurrence and death in HNSCC patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Nuclear Medicine and PET center, Department of Radiology, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 663-8501, Japan

    Takayuki Katsuura, Kazuhiro Kitajima & Masahiro Fujita

  2. Department of Radiology, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 663-8501, Japan

    Masayuki Fujiwara & Koichiro Yamakado

  3. Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 663-8501, Japan

    Tomonori Terada & Nobuhiro Uwa

  4. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 663-8501, Japan

    Kazuma Noguchi

  5. Department of Radiation Oncology, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine, 377-2, Higashiōsaka, Osaka, 589-8511, Japan

    Hiroshi Doi

  6. Department of Radiation Oncology, Shimane University School of Medicine, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan

    Yukihisa Tamaki

  7. Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan

    Rika Yoshida

  8. Department of Radiological Technology, Hyogo College of Medicine College Hospital, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 663-8501, Japan

    Tatsuya Tsuchitani

Authors
  1. Takayuki Katsuura
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  2. Kazuhiro Kitajima
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  3. Masayuki Fujiwara
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  4. Tomonori Terada
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  5. Nobuhiro Uwa
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  6. Kazuma Noguchi
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  7. Hiroshi Doi
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  8. Yukihisa Tamaki
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  9. Rika Yoshida
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  10. Tatsuya Tsuchitani
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  11. Masahiro Fujita
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  12. Koichiro Yamakado
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kazuhiro Kitajima.

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We clearly state that human participants have the approval of an appropriate named ethics committee including Helsinki declaration.

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We declare no financial support or relationship that may pose conflict of interest.

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Cite this article

Katsuura, T., Kitajima, K., Fujiwara, M. et al. Assessment of tumor response to chemoradiotherapy and predicting prognosis in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by PERCIST. Ann Nucl Med 32, 453–462 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12149-018-1267-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12149-018-1267-7

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