Watch the weathercock: changes in re-staging 18F-FDG PET/CT scan predict the probability of relapse in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer

ABSTRACT

Introduction. Induction treatment is be coming the gold standard for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancers (LA-NSCLC). In contrast to baseline positron emission/computed tomography scan (PET/CT scan), re-staging PET/CT scan has been poorly studied in LA-NSCLC. Materials and methods. We retrospectively explored the efficacy of re-staging PET/CT scan to diagnose response and to predict disease-free survival (DFS) in 55 induction-treated LA-NSCLC further treated with curative surgery or radiation but not with adjuvant therapy. Results. Re-staging N status by PET/CT scan significantly correlated with pathological N status. Radiological or metabolic response in the re-staging PET/CT scan was associated with a significantly better DFS, which decreased from 25.8 to 19.3, to 11.2, and to 9.4 months in cN0, cN1, cN2, and cN3 patients, respectively. Conclusion. Re-staging PET/CT scan helps to define response and consolidation treatment in induction-treated LA-NSCLC and predicts DFS. Further extended studies should confirm our results (AU)

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