18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in the management of patients with thymic epithelial tumors. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • PURPOSE: There are limited data regarding the role of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ([(18)F]-FDG PET) imaging in management of patients with thymic epithelial tumors (TET). The primary objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of early [(18)F]-FDG PET to monitor treatment efficacy and its correlation with Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) in patients with TETs. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: [(18)F]-FDG PET/computed tomographic (CT) scans were conducted at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatment in patients enrolled in two phase II and one phase I/II clinical trials. On the basis of data from other solid tumors, metabolic response was defined as a reduction of [(18)F]-FDG uptake by more than 30% as assessed by average standardized uptake values (SUV) of up to five most metabolically active lesions. RESULTS: Fifty-six patients with unresectable Masaoka stage III or IV TETs were included. There was a close correlation between early metabolic response and subsequent best response using RECIST (P < 0.0001-0.0003): sensitivity and specificity for prediction of best response were 95% and 100%, respectively. Metabolic responders had significantly longer progression-free survival (median, 11.5 vs. 4.6 months; P = 0.044) and a trend toward longer overall survival (median, 31.8 vs. 18.4 months; P = 0.14) than nonresponders. [(18)F]-FDG uptake was significantly higher in thymic carcinoma than in thymoma (P = 0.0004-0.0010). CONCLUSION: In patients with advanced TETs, early metabolic response closely correlates with outcome of therapy. [(18)F]-FDG PET may be used to monitor treatment efficacy and assess histologic differences in patients with advanced TETs.

publication date

  • February 4, 2013

Research

keywords

  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Thymus Neoplasms

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC3602145

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 84875205559

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-12-2929

PubMed ID

  • 23382114

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 19

issue

  • 6