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18F-FDG PET and biomarkers for tumour angiogenesis in early breast cancer

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European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Tumour angiogenesis is an independent and strong prognostic factor in early breast carcinoma. We performed this study to investigate the ability of 18F-FDG to detect angiogenesis in early breast carcinoma using PET/CT.

Methods

Twenty consecutive patients with early (T1-T2) breast carcinoma were recruited prospectively for 18F-FDG PET/CT. The PET/CT data were used to calculate whole tumour maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean). All patients underwent subsequent surgery without prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The excised tumour underwent immunohistochemistry for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), CD105 and glucose transporter protein 1 (GLUT1).

Results

The SUVmax showed the following correlation with tumour histology: CD105: r = 0.60, p = 0.005; GLUT1: r = 0.21, p = 0.373; VEGF: r = −0.16, p = 0.496. The SUVmean showed the following correlation with tumour histology: CD105: r = 0.65, p = 0.002; GLUT1: r = 0.34, p = 0.144; VEGF: r = −0.18, p = 0.443

Conclusion

18F-FDG uptake is highly significantly associated with angiogenesis as measured by the immunohistochemistry with CD105 for new vessel formation. Given that tumour angiogenesis is an important prognostic indicator and a predictor of treatment response, 18F-FDG PET may have a role in the management of primary breast cancer patients even in early-stage disease.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Nikolaos Papathanasiou (UCL) for statistical advice. The majority of funding in this study was provided by the Breast Cancer Campaign, UK. UCLH/UCL receives a proportion of funding from the Department of Health’s NIHR Biomedical Research Centre’s funding scheme.

Conflicts of interest

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Nuclear Medicine, University College London, London, UK

    Ashley M. Groves, Manu Shastry, Raymondo Endozo & Peter J. Ell

  2. Department of Histopathology, University College London, London, UK

    Manuel Rodriguez-Justo

  3. Breast Unit, Royal Free Hospital, UCL, London, UK

    Anmol Malhotra, Timothy Davidson, Tina Kelleher & Mohammed R. Keshtgar

  4. Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, Brighton, UK

    Kenneth A. Miles

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  1. Ashley M. Groves
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Correspondence to Ashley M. Groves.

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Groves, A.M., Shastry, M., Rodriguez-Justo, M. et al. 18F-FDG PET and biomarkers for tumour angiogenesis in early breast cancer. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 38, 46–52 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-010-1590-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-010-1590-2

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