The prognostic value of end-of-treatment FDG-PET/CT in diffuse large B cell lymphoma: comparison of visual Deauville criteria and a lesion-to-liver SUVmax ratio-based evaluation system.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine a better criterion for end-of-treatment PET (EoT-PET) assessment and prognostic evaluation of patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). METHOD: EoT-PET scans were assessed using the visual Deauville 5-point scale (5PS) and LLR, the maximum standard uptake value ratio between the lesion and the liver. The cutoff value of LLR was obtained by receiver operator characteristic curve analysis. Patient outcomes were compared using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Prognostic indexes of different criteria were compared. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to evaluate the prognostic factors. RESULTS: Four hundred forty-nine newly diagnosed DLBCL patients who received rituximab-based immunochemotherapy were included, and the median follow-up duration was 41.4 months. Patients with Deauville score (DS) 4 displayed significantly longer PFS and OS compared with patients with DS 5 (both p < 0.001), and they had significantly shorter PFS (p < 0.01) but similar OS (p = 0.057) compared with patients with DS 1-3. The differences in PFS and OS between groups were all significant whether positive EoT-PET was defined as DS 4-5 or DS 5 (all p < 0.001). The optimal cutoff of LLR was 1.83, and both PFS and OS were significantly different between EoT-PET-positive and EoT-PET-negative patients as defined by the cutoff (both p < 0.001). LLR-based criterion displayed higher specificity, positive predictive value, and accuracy than 5PS-based criterion in the prediction of disease progression and death events. In the multivariate analysis, positive EoT-PET (as defined by LLR) was related to unfavorable PFS and OS (both p < 0.001). Additional treatment was not correlated with outcomes of EoT-PET-negative patients either defined by LLR or 5PS or EoT-PET-positive patients classified by 5PS, but it was the only beneficial factor for OS (p < 0.05) in EoT-PET-positive patients with LLR ≥ 1.83. CONCLUSION: The optimal cutoff of LLR may be superior to Deauville criteria in identifying low-risk DLBCL patients with negative EoT-PET after the first-line immunochemotherapy and sparing them the cost and toxicity of additional treatment.

Lymph node yield in the initial central neck dissection (CND) associated with the risk of recurrence in papillary thyroid cancer: A reoperative CND cohort study.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the relationship between lymph node yield (LNY) from the initial central neck dissection (CND) and the risk of recurrence in patients undergoing reoperative CND for papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). METHOD: We reviewed clinical data from all patients with pathologically proven PTC who underwent central neck and/or lateral neck dissection reoperations at Nanfang Hospital between 2012 and 2020. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, clinical data and follow-up information were obtained. In the initial CND, the total number of lymph nodes removed (LNY), total positive nodes removed, and the percentage of positive lymph nodes to the number of lymph nodes removed (PLN%) were determined. RESULTS: A total of 162 patients were included in the study, with a median follow-up of 44 months. 62 had central neck disease recurrence. The optimal LNY and PLN% cut-off values for recurrence were 11 and 65%, respectively. Group 2 (LNY ≥ 11, PLN% < 65%) showed a significantly higher RFS rate than group 1 (LNY < 11 and PLN% < 65%; P < 0.001), group 3 (LNY < 11, PLN% ≥ 65%; P < 0.001), and group 4 (LNY ≥ 11, PLN% ≥ 65%; P = 0.038). Furthermore, group 4 had a higher RFS rate than group 1 (P = 0.008) and group 3 (P = 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that LNY < 11 in the central neck was an independent risk factor for recurrence/persistence in the initial surgery (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Higher LNY in central and neck dissections is associated with lower papillary thyroid cancer recurrence rates, which was confirmed by a reoperative CND procedure. To minimize the risk of recurrence and the need for secondary therapy, surgeons should perform compartment-oriented CNDs when indicated.

The Clinical Accuracy and Risk Stratification in End of Therapy 18F-FDG PET/CT in Burkitt Lymphoma.

PURPOSE: Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is an invasive lymphoma subtype with FDG avid at 18F-FDG PET/CT, but there is currently no validated criterion in treatment evaluation and prognosis prediction. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical accuracy of 18F-FDG PET/CT in Burkitt lymphoma in end of therapy PET/CT (EOT-PET) to assess the treatment response in BL and conduct a survival analysis with different Deauville 5-point score (DS) cutoff values. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 189 patients were retrospectively included: 97 underwent baseline PET/CT and all underwent EOT-PET. Survival curves were plotted according to the Kaplan-Meier method. Different DS cutoff values in EOT-PET were evaluated for risk stratification in Burkitt lymphoma. RESULTS: The median progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 52 and 53 months, respectively. Applying the conventional DS 4 to 5, there was significant difference in outcome between EOT-PET negative and positive patients. However, the positive predictive value (PPV) (28.3% for PFS and 26.4% for OS) is low despite a high negative predictive value (NPV) (94.1% for OS and 94.9% for OS). When we moved the cutoff point to DS 5, the PPV was improved evidently (88.2% for PFS and 82.3% for OS) with the satisfactory NPV simultaneously (95.3% for PFS and 95.9% for OS). CONCLUSIONS: EOT-PET results using DS significantly related with PFS and OS. DS of 5 may be a better cutoff point at the end of treatment to determine whether patients have a significant risk of recurrence or progress.

Predictors for reactive thymic hyperplasia and its prognostic value in children and adolescents with lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Reactive thymic hyperplasia (RTH) is seen in children and adolescents receiving chemotherapy for various malignancies. However, it is not clear why this occurs only in some patients. The aim of this study was to identify the predictors for RTH in children and adolescents receiving chemotherapy for lymphoma and to determine the effect of RTH on prognosis. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 126 lymphoma patients (October 2007-October 2012). The patients were divided into two groups according to different criteria, i.e., age at initial diagnosis (2-12 years vs. 13-18 years); presence of thymic infiltration at baseline (yes vs. no); and receipt of mediastinal radiotherapy (yes vs. no). The Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate Cox regression model analysis were used to analyze predictors for RTH. Further, patients were divided into two groups according to the occurrence of RTH during follow-up, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to analyze the prognostic value of RTH. RESULTS: The 2-12-year-old group had a shorter duration from the end of therapy to RTH than the 13-18-year-old group (median: 3 months vs. 16 months) and a higher rate of RTH (97.1% vs. 60.3%, P < 0.001). The lymphoma thymic non-infiltration group had a shorter duration from the end of therapy to RTH than the lymphoma infiltration group (median: 4 months vs. 22 months), and a higher rate of RTH (88.2% vs. 57.6%, P < 0.001). The non-mediastinal radiotherapy group had higher rate of RTH than the mediastinal radiotherapy group (84.7% vs. 12.5%, P < 0.001). Low age, absence of thymic infiltration by lymphoma at baseline, and absence of mediastinal radiation were predictors for RTH by multivariate Cox regression analysis (P < 0.05). The RTH group had a lower recurrence rate than the non-RTH group (13.9% vs. 40%), and a longer duration from the end of therapy to recurrence (median: 10 months vs. 5 months, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Younger age, absence of thymic infiltration by lymphoma at baseline and absence of mediastinal radiotherapy are predictors for RTH in children and adolescents. RTH may be a positive prognostic factor.

Cervical lymph node hyperplasia on [(18)F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan after treatment of children and adolescents with malignant lymphoma.

PURPOSE: To define imaging manifestations and clinical prognosis of cervical lymph node hyperplasia using [(18)F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) scanning after treatment of children and adolescents with malignant lymphoma. METHODS: Children and adolescent patients with malignant lymphoma who had high FDG uptake in their cervical lymph nodes via PET/CT after treatment, which was not due to tumor recurrence or residue, were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients with a median age of 12 years were included; 11 had Hodgkin's disease and 16 had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The time from PET/CT scan to completion of therapy was 1-36 months, 85.2% (23/27) of which took place within 12 months. Three patients had confirmed lymph node follicular hyperplasia by biopsy, while all 27 patients achieved disease-free survival during the follow-up period. The maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) of cervical lymph nodes were 2.2-16.2 and the maximum short axis ranged from 0.3 to 1.2 cm. Cervical lymph node hyperplasia was noted in neck levels I-V, and neck level II bilaterally had the highest incidence (100%). Bilateral cervical lymph node hyperplasia was symmetrical in terms of both the SUVmax and affected locations. Thymic hyperplasia and nasopharyngeal lymphoid hyperplasia were both observed in 24 patients (88.9%). There was no relationship in terms of the SUVmax between cervical lymph nodes and thymic tissue, cervical nodes or nasopharyngeal lymphoid tissue. CONCLUSION: Cervical lymph node hyperplasia with high FDG uptake on PET/CT scans found after treating children and adolescents with malignant lymphoma can be benign processes. Awareness of this possibility may help avoid invasive procedures and over-treatment.