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Predictive value of SUV-based parameters derived from pre-treatment 18F-FLT PET/CT for short-term outcome with head and neck cancers

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Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive potential of pre-treatment 3′-deoxy-3′-[18F]-fluorothymidine (FLT) uptake parameters for short-term outcome of primary head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) patients.

Patients and methods

A total of 32 patients undergoing pre-treatment FLT positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) from May 2010 to May 2013 were evaluated. Semi-quantitative assessment was used to determine mean, peak and maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmean, SUVpeak and SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion proliferation (TLP). Clinicopathologic factors and PET/CT parameters were analyzed for their association with 2-year loco-regional control (LRC) and overall survival (OS).

Results

The mean (± SD) SUVmean, SUVpeak, SUVmax, MTV and TLP were 5.97 ± 3.16, 6.71 ± 3.75, 10.05 ± 5.37, 7.31 ± 8.05 and 44.95 ± 52.82, respectively. In univariate analyses, N category was associated with OS (P = 0.037). Increased MTV ≥13 ml was associated with decreased LRC and OS (P < 0.0001). TLP ≥69.3 g was also linked with both LRC and OS (P = 0.009 and 0.015, respectively). Regarding SUVs, only the SUVpeak was associated with LRC and OS (P = 0.035 and 0.049, respectively).

Conclusions

Pre-treatment MTV is the most useful parameter with FLT PET/CT. TLP and SUVpeak may also provide important prognostic information for patients with HNSCCs.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Mr. Maeda, the technologist of the Department of Radiology for his expert assistance.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1, Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita-gun, Kagawa, Japan

    Hiroshi Hoshikawa, Terushige Mori, Takehito Kishino, Takashi Fukumura, Yasushi Samukawa & Nozomu Mori

  2. Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan

    Yuka Yamamoto & Yoshihiro Nishiyama

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  1. Hiroshi Hoshikawa
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  2. Yuka Yamamoto
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Correspondence to Hiroshi Hoshikawa.

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Hoshikawa, H., Yamamoto, Y., Mori, T. et al. Predictive value of SUV-based parameters derived from pre-treatment 18F-FLT PET/CT for short-term outcome with head and neck cancers. Ann Nucl Med 28, 1020–1026 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12149-014-0902-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12149-014-0902-1

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