Prognostic Value of Serum Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio and SUVmax in Stage I and II Colon Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between maximal standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of primary colon cancer and serum neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and to assess the prognostic value of SUVmax and serum NLR in stage I and II colon cancer patients. METHODS: In this retrospective study a total of 128 patients with pathologically confirmed stage I and II colon cancer diagnosed between January 2014 and December 2017 were included. All patients underwent F-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) and differential white blood cell (WBC) counts before surgery. The correlations between SUVmax and NLR were assessed. The prognostic value of SUVmax and NLR for predicting recurrence-free survival (RFS) was investigated. RESULTS: The mean NLR was 2.2 ± 1.2, and the mean SUVmax of primary tumor was 15.2 ± 7.9. There was significant correlation between NLR and SUVmax (rho=0.2, p=0.02). Mean follow-up period was 59.8 ± 19.2 months and 12 patients experienced a recurrence. In univariable analysis, NLR (p=0.0084, HR=5.0223, 95% CI=1.5117-16.6853), C-reactive protein (CRP) (p=0.021, HR=4.1115, 95% CI=1.2380-13.6551), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) (p=0.0134, HR=4.2683, 95% CI=1.3519-13.4766), and Kirsten ras sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS) mutation (p=0.0338, HR=3.4703, 95% CI=1.0998-10.9499) were significant prognostic factors for the recurrence. In multivariable analysis, NLR (p=0.0256, HR=4.1155, 95% CI=1.1887-14.2490) and CA19-9 (p=0.0257, HR=4.139, 95% CI=1.1880-14.4200) were independent prognostic factors for the recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Significant correlation was observed between SUVmax of primary colon cancer and serum NLR. Furthermore, in the multivariable analysis conducted on early colon cancer cases, NLR and CA19-9 were found to be independently associated with RFS. This suggested that NLR could be used as a supplementary tool for identifying patients at high risk of recurrence in early colon cancer. However, SUVmax was not associated with prognosis, suggesting that it cannot be used for predicting prognosis in early colon cancer.

Correlations among KRAS Mutation, Microsatellite Instability, and 18F-FDG Uptake in Colon Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the correlation of the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) with the Kirsten ras sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS) mutation and microsatellite instability (MSI) status in colon cancer. METHODS: This retrospective study included 195 patients with colon cancer who underwent 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) before surgery between January 2014 and December 2017. All patients underwent KRAS mutation and MSI analyses using surgical specimens of the primary tumor. The associations of SUVmax with KRAS mutation and MSI were analyzed. RESULTS: The SUVmax differed significantly between the microsatellite stable (MSS) and MSI groups (14.5 ± 7.0 vs. 19.1 ± 10.9; P = 0.0249), and between the KRAS wild-type and KRAS mutation groups (14.1 ± 7.6 vs. 17.5 ± 7.9; P = 0.0017). CONCLUSIONS: SUVmax obtained using 18F-FDG PET/CT showed significant differences in relation to KRAS mutation and MSI status. 18F-FDG PET/CT could be used as a supplemental modality for assessing KRAS mutations and MSI status in colon cancer.

18F-FDG PET/CT Parameters for Predicting Prognosis in Esophageal Cancer Patients Treated With Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study evaluated the prognostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography with integrated computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) performed before and after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in esophageal cancer. METHODS: We analyzed the prognosis of 50 non-metastatic squamous cell esophageal cancer (T1-4N0-2) patients who underwent CCRT with curative intent at Inje University Busan Paik Hospital and Haeundae Paik Hospital from 2009 to 2019. Median total radiation dose was 54 Gy (range 34-66 Gy). Our aim was to investigate the relationship between PET/CT values and prognosis. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 9.9 months (range 1.7-85.7). Median baseline maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) was 14.2 (range 3.2-27.7). After treatment, 29 patients (58%) showed disease progression. The 3-year PFS and overall survival (OS) were 24.2% and 54.5%, respectively. PFS was significantly lower (P = 0.015) when SUVmax of initial PET/CT exceeded 10 (n = 22). However, OS did not reach a significant difference based on maximum SUV (P = 0.282). Small metabolic tumor volume (≤14.1) was related with good PFS (P = 0.002) and OS (P = 0.001). Small total lesion of glycolysis (≤107.3) also had a significant good prognostic effect on PFS (P = 0.009) and OS (P = 0.025). In a subgroup analysis of 18 patients with follow-up PET/CT, the patients with SUV max ≤3.5 in follow-up PET/CT showed longer PFS (P = 0.028) than those with a maximum SUV >3.5. CONCLUSION: Maximum SUV of PET/CT is useful in predicting prognosis of esophageal cancer patients treated with CCRT. Efforts to find more effective treatments for patients at high risk of progression are still warranted.

Diagnostic Performance of F-18 FDG PET/CT Compared with CA125, HE4, and ROMA for Epithelial Ovarian Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the diagnostic performance of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography with computed tomography (F-18 FDG PET/CT) compared with cancer antigen 125 (CA125), human epididymis protein 4 (HE4), and risk of ovarian malignancy algorithm (ROMA) score to distinguish epithelial ovarian cancer from benign tumors. METHODS: A total of 46 patients with pelvic masses, who underwent F-18 FDG PET/CT, CA125, and HE4 before surgery between January 2015 and December 2018, were included in this retrospective study. The diagnostic performance of CA125, HE4, ROMA score, and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) to differentiate epithelial ovarian cancer from benign pelvic tumors was examined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: Among the 46 patients, 28 were cases of ovarian cancers and 18 were of benign. The mean values of CA125, HE4, ROMA score, and SUVmax were significantly higher in the ovarian cancer group than the benign group. In early cancer stages (stages I and II), Area under the curve for SUVmax was significantly higher than CA125 and ROMA score (0.778 for CA125, 0.753 for HE4, 0.682 for ROMA score, and 0.922 for SUVmax). CONCLUSION: SUVmax using F-18 FDG PET/CT showed a high diagnostic accuracy for differentiating epithelial ovarian cancer from benign pelvic tumors, including early stage ovarian cancer. F-18 FDG PET/CT can be a useful modality for the assessment of pelvic mass.
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Correlation of Molecular Subtypes of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma of Breast with Glucose Metabolism in FDG PET/CT: Based on the Recommendations of the St. Gallen Consensus Meeting 2013.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the SUVmax of primary breast cancer lesions and the molecular subtypes based on the recommendations of the St. Gallen consensus meeting 2013. METHODS: Clinical records of patients who underwent F-18 FDG PET/CT for initial staging of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast were reviewed. A total of 183 patients were included. SUVmax was correlated with the molecular subtypes defined by the St. Gallen Consensus Meeting 2013, i.e., luminal A-like (LA), luminal B-like HER2 negative (LBHER2-), luminal B-like HER2 positive (LBHER2+), HER2 positive (HER2+), and triple negative (TN), and with the clinicohistopathologic characteristics. RESULTS: The molecular subtype was LA in 38 patients, LBHER2- in 72, LBHER2+ in 21, HER2+ in 30, and TN in 22. The mean SUVmax in the LA, LBHER2-, LBHER2+, HER2+, and TN groups were 4.5 ± 2.3, 7.2 ± 4.9, 7.2 ± 4.3, 10.2 ± 5.5, and 8.8 ± 7.1, respectively. Although SUVmax differed significantly among these subtypes (p < 0.001), the values showed a wide overlap. Optimal cut-off SUVmax to differentiate LA from LBHER2-, LBHER2+, HER2+ and TN were 5.9, 5.8, 7.5, and 10.2 respectively, with area under curve (AUC) of 0.648, 0.709, 0.833, and 0.697 respectively. The cut-off value of 5.9 yielded the highest accuracy for differentiation between the LA and non-LA subtypes, with sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of 79.4 %, 57.9 %, and 0.704 respectively. CONCLUSION: The SUVmax showed a significant correlation with the molecular subtype. Although SUVmax measurements could be used along with immunohistochemical analysis for differentiating between molecular subtypes, its application to individual patients may be limited due to the wide overlaps in SUVmax.

Clinical Usefulness of F-18 FDG PET/CT in Papillary Thyroid Cancer with Negative Radioiodine Scan and Elevated Thyroglobulin Level or Positive Anti-thyroglobulin Antibody.

PURPOSE: Elevated thyroglobulin (Tg) levels, along with a negative radioiodine scan, present a clinical problem for the diagnosis of recurrence in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) patients. The purpose of this study was to assess (1) the usefulness of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18 FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) for PTC patients with negative diagnostic radioiodine scan and elevated serum Tg level or positive anti-thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), and (2) the effect of endogenous thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) stimulation (ETS) on detecting recurrence in these circumstances. METHODS: Eighty-four patients with negative diagnostic radioiodine scan and elevated serum Tg or positive TgAb under ETS were included. Correlation with clinicopathological features and recurrence, detectability of FDG PET/CT and cut-off value of serum Tg for recurrence in PTC patients with these circumstance were assessed. In addition, detectability of F-18 FDG PET/CT under ETS and suppression were compared. RESULTS: In Cox regression analysis, only serum Tg level was significantly associated with recurrence (P < 0.001, HR = 1.13; 95 % CI, 1.061-1.208). The cut-off level of Tg was 21.5 ng/mL (AUC, 0.919; P < 0.001) for discriminating the recurrence in the patients with positive PET/CT finding. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of F-18 FDG PET/CT for detecting recurrence were 64 %, 94 %, 86 %, 81 %, and 83 %. In the analysis of F-18 FDG PET/CT under ETS, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy was 64 %, 94 %, 88 %, 81 % and 83 %. Those under TSH suppression were 67 %, 92 %, 80 %, 85 % and 83 %. CONCLUSIONS: F-18 FDG PET/CT, although less sensitive, showed high specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy and therefore can be useful for the patients with negative diagnostic radioiodine scan and elevated serum Tg or positive TgAb. In addition, FDG PET/CT under ETS does not seem to have an additive role in detecting recurrence in these patients.

Incidental abnormal FDG uptake in the prostate on 18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography scans.

18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) scans are commonly used for the staging and restaging of various malignancies, such as head and neck, breast, colorectal and gynecological cancers. However, the value of FDG PET/CT for detecting prostate cancer is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical value of incidental prostate 18F-FDG uptake on PET/CT scans. We reviewed 18F-FDG PET/CT scan reports from September 2009 to September 2013, and selected cases that reported focal/diffuse FDG uptake in the prostate. We analyzed the correlation between 18F-FDG PET/CT scan findings and data collected during evaluations such as serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, digital rectal examination (DRE), transrectal ultrasound (TRUS), and/or biopsy to confirm prostate cancer. Of a total of 18,393 cases, 106 (0.6%) exhibited abnormal hypermetabolism in the prostate. Additional evaluations were performed in 66 patients. Serum PSA levels were not significantly correlated with maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) in all patients (rho 0.483, p=0.132). Prostate biopsies were performed in 15 patients, and prostate cancer was confirmed in 11. The median serum PSA level was 4.8 (0.55-7.06) ng/mL and 127.4 (1.06-495) ng/mL in the benign and prostate cancer groups, respectively. The median SUVmax was higher in the prostate cancer group (mean 10.1, range 3.8-24.5) than in the benign group (mean 4.3, range 3.1-8.8), but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.078). There was no significant correlation between SUVmax and serum PSA, prostatic volume, or Gleason score. 18F-FDG PET/CT scans did not reliably differentiate malignant or benign from abnormal uptake lesions in the prostate, and routine prostate biopsy was not usually recommended in patients with abnormal FDG uptake. Nevertheless, patients with incidental prostate uptake on 18F-FDG PET/ CT scans should not be ignored and should be undergo further clinical evaluations, such as PSA and DRE.