RESUMO
Aim: To assess the role of baseline 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG)-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in predicting response to immunotherapy after 6 months and overall survival (OS) in patients with lung cancer (LC) or malignant melanoma (MM). Materials and Methods: Data from a multicenter, retrospective study conducted between March and November 2021 were analyzed. Patients >18 years old with a confirmed diagnosis of LC or MM, who underwent a baseline [18F]FDG-PET/CT within 1-2 months before starting immunotherapy and had a follow-up of at least 12 months were included. PET scans were examined visually and semiquantitatively by physicians at peripheral centers. The metabolic tumor burden (number of lesions with [18F]FDG-uptake) and other parameters were recorded. Clinical response was assessed at 3 and 6 months after starting immunotherapy, and OS was calculated as the time elapsing between the PET scan and death or latest follow-up. Results: The study concerned 177 patients with LC and 101 with MM. Baseline PET/CT was positive in primary or local recurrent lesions in 78.5% and 9.9% of cases, in local/distant lymph nodes in 71.8% and 36.6%, in distant metastases in 58.8% and 84%, respectively, in LC and in MM patients. Among patients with LC, [18F]FDG-uptake in primary/recurrent lung lesions was more often associated with no clinical response to immunotherapy after 6 months than in cases without any tracer uptake. After a mean 21 months, 46.5% of patients with LC and 37.1% with MM had died. A significant correlation emerged between the site/number of [18F]FDG foci and death among patients with LC, but not among those with MM. Conclusions: In patients with LC who are candidates for immunotherapy, baseline [18F]FDG-PET/CT can help to predict response to this therapy after 6 months, and to identify those with a poor prognosis based on their metabolic parameters. For patients with MM, there was only a weak correlation between baseline PET/CT parameters, response to therapy, and survival.
Assuntos
Neoplasias Pulmonares , Melanoma , Humanos , Adolescente , Tomografia por Emissão de Pósitrons combinada à Tomografia Computadorizada/métodos , Fluordesoxiglucose F18 , Estudos Retrospectivos , Neoplasias Pulmonares/diagnóstico por imagem , Neoplasias Pulmonares/terapia , Neoplasias Pulmonares/patologia , Melanoma/diagnóstico por imagem , Melanoma/terapia , Imunoterapia , Melanoma Maligno CutâneoRESUMO
AIM: To examine the role of [18F]FDG PET/CT for assessing response to immunotherapy in patients with some solid tumors. METHODS: Data recorded in a multicenter (n = 17), retrospective database between March and November 2021 were analyzed. The sample included patients with a confirmed diagnosis of a solid tumor who underwent serial [18F]FDG PET/CT (before and after one or more cycles of immunotherapy), who were >18 years of age, and had a follow-up of at least 12 months after their first PET/CT scan. Patients enrolled in clinical trials or without a confirmed diagnosis of cancer were excluded. The authors classified cases as having a complete or partial metabolic response to immunotherapy, or stable or progressive metabolic disease, based on a visual and semiquantitative analysis according to the EORTC criteria. Clinical response to immunotherapy was assessed at much the same time points as the serial PET scans, and both the obtained responses were compared. RESULTS: The study concerned 311 patients (median age: 67; range: 31-89 years) in all. The most common neoplasm was lung cancer (56.9%), followed by malignant melanoma (32.5%). Nivolumab was administered in 46.3%, and pembrolizumab in 40.5% of patients. Baseline PET and a first PET scan performed at a median 3 months after starting immunotherapy were available for all 311 patients, while subsequent PET scans were obtained after a median 6, 12, 16, and 21 months for 199 (64%), 102 (33%), 46 (15%), and 23 (7%) patients, respectively. Clinical response to therapy was recorded at around the same time points after starting immunotherapy for 252 (81%), 173 (56%), 85 (27%), 40 (13%), and 22 (7%) patients, respectively. After a median 18 (1-137) months, 113 (36.3%) patients had died. On Kaplan-Meier analysis, metabolic responders on the first two serial PET scans showed a better prognosis than non-responders, while clinical response became prognostically informative from the second assessment after starting immunotherapy onwards. CONCLUSIONS: [18F]FDG PET/CT could have a role in the assessment of response to immunotherapy in patients with some solid tumors. It can provide prognostic information and thus contribute to a patient's appropriate treatment. Prospective randomized controlled trials are mandatory.
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Cardiac amyloidosis is an infiltrative disorder caused by transthyretin or immunoglobulin free light-chain deposition, which determines clinical disease with similar phenotype but different time course, prognosis and therapy. Multimodality imaging is the cornerstone for disease diagnosis and management. Multimodality imaging has revolutionized the approach to the disease favoring its awareness and simplifying its diagnosis, especially in ATTR cardiac amyloidosis. This describes the different imaging tools, from the traditional to the more novel ones, and highlights the different approach in each different setting (prognosis, subtyping, prognosis, monitoring disease progression, and response to therapy).
Assuntos
Amiloidose , Cardiomiopatias , Amiloidose/diagnóstico por imagem , Cardiomiopatias/diagnóstico por imagem , Ecocardiografia , Humanos , Imagem Multimodal , PrognósticoRESUMO
AIM: We evaluated the prevalence and severity of myocardial perfusion abnormalities among inmates undergoing cardiac single-photon emission computed tomography. We also compared the results with those obtained in a cohort of non-inmates. METHODS: Between January 2009 and December 2013, 2420 consecutive subjects (258 inmates and 2162 non-inmates) with suspected or known coronary artery disease underwent stress myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (MPS) to our institution. The decision to submit inmates to MPS was taken by the physicians of the penal institutions or ordered by the court based on the survey of part. To account for differences in clinical characteristics between inmates and non-inmates, we created a propensity score-matched cohort considering clinical variables and stress type. RESULTS: Before matching, inmates were younger and had higher prevalence of male gender, smoking, chest pain, and previous myocardial infarction or revascularization (all p < 0.001). After matching, all characteristics were comparable in 258 inmates and 258 non-inmates. The total amount of abnormal myocardium was similar in inmates and non-inmates before and after matching. Infarct size and severity were larger in inmates before (p < 0.001) and after (p < 0.01) matching and left ventricular ejection fraction was lower in inmates compared to non-inmates (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Detention is associated with larger infarct size compared to a general population of subjects referred to stress MPS also after matching for clinical variables and stress type. The similar prevalence of normal MPS in the matched cohort suggests that this imaging technique might be appropriate in inmates.