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SUVmax for predicting regional control in oropharyngeal cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the predictive value of pretherapeutic metabolic tumor imaging using 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) for regional response in oropharyngeal cancer patients undergoing primary (chemo)radiation.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of oropharyngeal cancer patients treated with primary (chemo)radiation at the University Hospital Zurich from 2010 to 2019 with available FDG-PET. The SUVmax of the largest lymph node metastases was recorded. Regional response was assessed using posttherapeutic FDG-PET at 12 weeks and regional recurrence-free survival.

Results

95 patients with a mean age of 68.5 years (SD 10.3) were included. The median pretherapeutic nodal SUVmax was 8.3 (interquartile range 4.4–13.3). A pretherapeutic nodal SUVmax above 6 significantly predicted poorer regional recurrence-free survival (log-rank test, P = 0.009) in univariate analysis. However, in multivariate analysis SUVmax above 6 was not significant in predicting regional recurrence-free survival (Cox regression P = 0.189). Clinical N category showed a trend in which a more severe stage had a poorer regional survival (Cox regression P = 0.073).

Conclusion

The SUVmax of the largest lymph node metastasis seems to play a role in predicting regional response in oropharyngeal cancer patients, after stratifying for N category. More research is needed to investigate whether highly metabolically active disease is less likely to respond to chemoradiation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 24, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland

    Lisa W. Lekanne dit Deprez, Grégoire B. Morand, Christian Thüring & Martina A. Broglie

  2. University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Lisa W. Lekanne dit Deprez

  3. University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Grégoire B. Morand, Christian Thüring, Shila Pazahr, Martin W. Hüllner & Martina A. Broglie

  4. Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Grégoire B. Morand, Christian Thüring, Shila Pazahr, Martin W. Hüllner & Martina A. Broglie

  5. Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Shila Pazahr & Martin W. Hüllner

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  1. Lisa W. Lekanne dit Deprez
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  2. Grégoire B. Morand
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Correspondence to Grégoire B. Morand.

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Lekanne dit Deprez, L.W., Morand, G.B., Thüring, C. et al. SUVmax for predicting regional control in oropharyngeal cancer. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 279, 3167–3177 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-021-07169-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-021-07169-7

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