Early [¹8F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-based response evaluation after treatment with gemcitabine and vinorelbine for refractory Hodgkin disease: a children's oncology group report.

ABSTRACT

The International Harmonization Project defined complete response (CR) after treatment for Hodgkin disease (HD) by absence of fluorodeoxyglucose avidity, regardless of the size of residual masses. Residual avidity after initial treatment is known to predict inferior survival. In the setting of retrieval therapy, early positron emission tomography (PET) scans may improve assessment of treatment efficacy. Retrospective analysis after 2 cycles of gemcitabine and vinorelbine for refractory HD revealed 6 CR among 13 patients by PET and 1 CR in 13 by computed tomography (CT). No relationship between PET response and event-free or overall survival could be discerned, presumably because of the heterogeneity of subsequent therapies.