Role of [18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography in re-recurrent cervical cancer

Cervical cancer patients with histologically documented re-recurrence after curative salvage therapy or unexplained tumor marker elevation (negative computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging [CT-MRI]) proven to be a re-recurrence when a further attempt for cure (or control of cancer) appeared feasible were enrolled. Lesion status was determined from pathology or clinical follow-up for at least 12 months. Management decisions were recorded with CT-MRI alone and incorporating [18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), respectively. The benefits calculated were based on clinical impact because of the FDG-PET findings. Cox proportional hazards model was used to select independent prognostic covariates. Of the 26 patients who were eligible for analysis, 12 (46.2%) patients had positive impacts due to PET. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, P = 0.029), re-recurrence at distant metastasis only (P = 0.012), and level of SCC antigen < or = 4 ng/mL (P = 0.005) were significantly associated with better survival. A scoring system using these covariates defined three distinct prognostic groups (P = 0.0001). Patients with score 0 had a 36-month cumulative survival rate of 80%. Using this prognostic scoring system, FDG-PET may facilitate selecting appropriate management for the individual patient with re-recurrent cervical cancer.     

Whole-body [18F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography scan staging prior to planned radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy

The aim of the study was to determine the effectiveness of whole-body [18F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) imaging in properly selecting candidates for radical hysterectomy who are at low risk for subsequent chemoradiation. Retrospective study of 14 women undergoing planned radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy with clinically localized cervical cancer and either negative or inconclusive metastatic nodal disease by PET scan was performed. Pelvic lymph nodes were clearly negative by FDG PET scan in 12 of the 14 women. Two women had focal FDG uptake suspicious, although not definitive, for nodal metastasis, and pelvic nodes were positive at surgery in both. Computed tomography (CT) scan failed to detect nodal disease in either woman. Neither PET nor CT was effective at detecting parametrial disease, and both also failed to detect the primary tumor in some cases. Women with FDG PET scans that are clearly negative for nodal disease are good candidates for radical hysterectomy and are at low risk for subsequent chemoradiation.     

The role of 18F-fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) in diagnosis of ovarian cancer

We evaluated the clinical significance of ¹⁸F-FDG PET to detect malignant ovarian neoplasms and tumor spread. 40 patients (median age: 57.5 years) underwent laparotomy because of clinical suspicion of malignant ovarian tumors or recurrent disease. The results of the preoperatively performed PET were correlated with the postoperative histologic diagnosis and the intraoperatively assessed tumor spread. In 10 of 40 patients benign tumors were found, among which a tubo-ovarian abscess was the only one diagnosed as false positive. 4/30 malignant neoplasms did not originate from the coelomic epithelium, but all were correctly recognized as malignant tumors by PET, as was recurrent ovarian cancer in 12 patients. Out of 14 primary ovarian carcinomas, 2 borderline tumors and 1 well-differentiated adenocarcinoma FIGO stage I were not correctly identified. Considering the tumor type, sensitivity, and specificity were 90%, calculating for the positive and negative predictive value 96% and 75%, respectively, and 90% for the diagnostic accuracy. Those statistical parameters were slightly lower for PET detection of lymph node metastasis and peritoneal carcinomatosis. Although its diagnostic accuracy may vary depending on the clinical application, ¹⁸F-FDG PET is basically a suitable method for detecting ovarian malignancies, particularly in patients with relapsed ovarian carcinoma.     

2-[Fluorine-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography in the diagnosis of recurrent ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate the role of 2-[fluorine-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) in the diagnosis of recurrent ovarian cancer. METHODS: One hundred six FDG PET scans performed in 54 patients in the follow-up after cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy of ovarian cancer were reevaluated. Fifty-eight scans were performed in patients with suspected recurrence and 48 scans in patients who were clinically disease free. Thirty-seven PET scans were validated by histology and 66 studies by a median follow-up of 22 months in disease-free patients or 12 months in patients with recurrent disease. Three scans were validated by concordant positive findings of tumor marker CA125, computed tomography, and FDG PET. RESULTS: FDG PET correctly identified recurrent disease in 73/88 cases. PET ruled out recurrent disease in 15/18 cases. The sensitivity and specificity for PET were 83 and 83%, respectively. In patients with suspected disease, sensitivity was 94% compared to 65% in patients judged clinically disease free. The sensitivity of PET was 96% if suspicion of recurrence was based on a rise of CA125 alone. PET preceded the conventional diagnosis by a median of 6 months in patients judged clinically free of disease. The median relapse-free interval after a negative PET scan was 20 months. CONCLUSION: FDG PET provides the chance to detect recurrent ovarian cancer at an earlier stage during follow-up. Patients with a negative PET scan have a longer relapse-free interval than patients with a positive PET scan.     

Integrated 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and computerized tomography in endodermal sinus tumor

Application of an in-line positron emission tomography and computerized tomography (PET-CT) in endodermal sinus tumor (EST) is described in this study. CASE 1: A young female with massive ascites postovarian mass resection had elevated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) serum levels. Following a positive PET-CT study with increased (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake, a CT-guided core biopsy of a peritoneal mass was performed. EST was diagnosed histologically. The patient was disease free after chemotherapy. Follow-up PET-CT was negative in keeping with no viable tumor tissue. CASE 2: A large pelvic mass diagnosed histologically as primarily EST was removed in a teenage patient with elevated AFP levels. PET-CT showed diffuse abdominal spread of FDG uptake, suggesting extensive peritoneal seeding. The patient was disease free after chemotherapy. Follow-up PET-CT was negative. EST is an FDG-avid tumor. PET-CT delineated the prechemotherapy tumor extent adequately ruled out the presence of residual tumor after a successful treatment.     

Noninvasive detection of inguinofemoral lymph node metastases in squamous cell cancer of the vulva by L-[1–11C]-tyrosine positron emission tomography

In the majority of patients with early stage squamous cell cancer (SCC) of the vulva, an inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy is performed (in retrospect) for diagnostic reasons: exclusion of inguinofemoral lymph node metastases. The morbidity of this procedure, however, is significant. The aim of the present study was to evaluate noninvasive detection of inguinofemoral lymph node metastases by positron emission tomography (PET) using L-[1–¹¹C]-tyrosine (TYR) as tracer.
In patients with SCC of the vulva, scheduled for resection of the primary tumor and uni- or bilateral inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy, results of preoperative palpation of the groins and TYR-PET imaging were compared with histopathology. PET imaging was performed using two different methods. In a first group ( n = 16), nonattenuation corrected 'whole body' scans were performed, and in a second group ( n = 9), attenuation corrected static emission scans.
Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive value for palpation were 62%, 89%, 82%, 67%, and 87% per groin. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive value for TYR-PET were calculated for the two methodologies separately and overall. There were no significant differences. Overall values were 53%, 95%, 94%, 33%, and 98% per lymph node and 75%, 62%, 65%, 41% and 88% per groin.
Detection of inguinofemoral lymph node metastases by TYR-PET is not superior to palpation. Neither palpation nor TYR-PET is able to adequately predict or exclude presence of inguinofemoral lymph node metastases in patients with SCC of the vulva.     

Metabolic monitoring of advanced uterine cervical cancer neoadjuvant chemotherapy by using [F-18]-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography: preliminary results in three patients

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this report is to describe the potential clinical utility of tracer [F-18]-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake, quantitated as a standardized uptake value (SUV) by positron emission tomography (PET), to evaluate treatment response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in advanced uterine cervical cancer. METHODS: We briefly describe the clinical courses of three women with advanced cervical cancer who were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) prior to radical hysterectomy and who were analyzed for correlation with the decrease in tumor volume by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in SUV by FDG-PET, and by histologic response. RESULTS: In these individuals, tumor volume and SUV were decreased by NAC. The decrease in SUV by FDG-PET was better correlated to histologic response for NAC than MRI was in advanced cervical cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Measurement of SUV by FDG-PET has clinical utility in evaluating treatment response for NAC in advanced cervical cancer. Although work in this field is still in the early stages, this report demonstrates that SUV by FDG-PET has the potential to become the new standard for monitoring the treatment response of NAC in cervical cancer. This monitoring approach must be proven in a larger number of patients for both primary and secondary lesions and should be further explored in another gynecologic cancer.     

术前NLR和PLR对上皮性卵巢癌患者预后的评估价值

目的:探讨术前中性粒细胞与淋巴细胞比值(NLR)和血小板与淋巴细胞比值(PLR)对上皮性卵巢癌患者预后的评估价值。方法:收集2005年11月至2012年12月在天津市中心妇产科医院初治且经手术治疗的153例卵巢良性肿瘤和206例上皮性卵巢癌患者的临床病理资料,比较术前NLR和PLR在卵巢良恶性肿瘤的区别,根据统计学方法选取NLR和PLR临界值,分析NLR和PLR与上皮性卵巢癌临床病理因素的关系。通过单因素及多因素分析评估术前NLR和PLR对患者术后生存的影响。结果:术前NLR和PLR水平在上皮性卵巢癌中明显高于卵巢良性肿瘤。选取NLR=2.62和PLR=173分别作为临界值。单因素分析结果显示,FIGO分期晚、中-低分化、腹水、脉管癌栓、CA125≥35、NLR≥2.62、PLR≥173是影响患者术后无病生存期(DFS)的危险因素(P0.05);FIGO分期晚、腹水、脉管癌栓、CA125≥35、PLR≥173是影响患者术后总生存期(OS)的危险因素(P0.05)。多因素分析显示,FIGO分期晚、NLR≥2.62、脉管癌栓是上皮性卵巢癌患者DFS的独立危险因素(P0.05)。结论:NLR和PLR方便测得且价格便宜,对卵巢癌的预后有一定的评估价值。     

Matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 in cervical cancer: different roles in tumor progression

The incidence of uterine cervical cancer has increased slightly in Western countries, with an increase in relatively young women. Overexpression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)-2 and -9 has turned out as a prognostic factor in many cancers. We compared the expression of the proteins MMP-2 and MMP-9 in cervical primary tumors with clinical outcome and risk factors of cervical cancer. One hundred sixty-one patients with cervical cancer treated in Ume? University Hospital or Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden, between 1991 and 1995 were included in the study. Paraffin-embedded tissue samples obtained prior to treatment were examined immunohistochemically by specific antibodies for MMP-2 and MMP-9. Forty-two percent of the tumors were intensively positive for MMP-2 and 31% for MMP-9. Nineteen percent of the samples were intensively positive for both proteinases and 47% negative or weak for both. Overexpression of MMP-2 seemed to predict unfavorable survival under Kaplan-Meier analysis and in the multivariate analysis. Early sexual activity and low parity seemed to correlate to overexpression of MMP-2. MMP-9 was not associated with survival or sexual behavior. Intensive MMP-9 was noted in grade 1 tumors. We conclude that MMP-2 and MMP-9 have different roles in uterine cervical cancer. MMP-2 could be associated with aggressive behavior, but MMP-9 expression diminishes in high-grade tumors.     

Unusual 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose accumulation induced by postoperative intestinocutaneous fistula in the patient with uterine cervical cancer and SLE

A 47-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus presented with a history of radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection for cervical cancer Ia and brachytherapy for vaginal recurrence. Four years later, abnormal hypermetabolic lesion at vaginal vault on FDG-PET/CT was found and confirmed as vaginal recurrence by punch biopsy. So, she underwent anterior pelvic exenteration with urostomy. She underwent colostomy because of colonic fistula 1 week after anterior pelvic exenteration. She had wound problem near the colostomy site. The wound waxed and waned, however, no definite discharge was identified from wound. Three months later after anterior pelvic exenteration, FDG-PET/CT revealed multiple hypermetabolic lesions along the incision line, colostomy site and abdominopelvic lymph nodes. Biopsies of the skin and lymph nodes with FDG accumulation revealed an inflammatory granulation tissue and reactive lymphadenopathy. Definite symptom such as leakage of stool was not identified. One year later, there was no interval change of multiple hypermetabolic lesions on follow-up FDG-PET/CT. There was still wound problem. So, revision of colostomy was done with impression of subtle fistula between skin and colostomy. Multiple hypermetabolic lesions on FDG-PET/CT disappeared after 3 months of repair of colostomy. We reported a case showing high FDG accumulation at wound and paraaortic lymph node on PET/CT because of intestinocutaneous fistula around colostomy. These malignant mimicking FDG accumulations were disappeared after colostomy reversion.     

The positron emission tomography with F18 17beta-estradiol has the potential to benefit diagnosis and treatment of endometrial cancer

BACKGROUND: The positron emission tomography (PET) with F18 17beta-estradiol (FES) has good imaging for assessment of estrogen receptor in breast cancer. CASE: We report on a 30-year-old woman who desired to preserve her fertility with well-differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma. Before hormone treatment was started, FES-PET showed increased uptake of endometrium, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed thickness and F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET showed increased uptake. FES-PET after 3 months showed remaining FES uptake, but there were no abnormal findings on MRI and FDG-PET. Hysteroscopy showed remaining adenocarcinoma. After additional treatment, FES-PET showed a therapeutic response, and hysteroscopy showed no abnormal finding. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first report that FES-PET has the potential to provide more useful information than did FDG-PET about the hormone therapy.     

Pretreatment maximum standardized uptake value in 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography as a prognostic factor for ovarian clear cell carcinoma and low-grade serous carcinoma

ObjectiveThe maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) derived by positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) can be an index of biological tumor aggressiveness, which is assessed using noninvasive tools before the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of the pretreatment SUVmax in patients with EOC.Materials and methodsWe reviewed the data of patients with EOC who underwent pretreatment 18F-FDG PET/CT between June 2006 and September 2016. The relationships between pretreatment SUVmax and histological subtypes of EOC were determined. Moreover, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated according to the pretreatment SUVmax. Risk factors associated with progression or death were also analyzed.ResultsOf 148 patients, 66 (44.6%), 11 (7.4%), 34 (23.0%), 19 (12.8%), 15 (10.1%), and three (2.0%) were diagnosed with high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC), low-grade serous carcinoma (LGSC), clear cell carcinoma (CCC), endometrioid carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, and others, respectively. The median SUVmax was marginally lower in LGSC (6.80 vs. 10.5; P = 0.059) and significantly lower in CCC (5.92 vs. 10.5; P = 0.001) than in HGSC. A high pretreatment SUVmax (≥9.30) was a prognostic factor for OS in patients with LGSC (P = 0.046). Furthermore, multivariate analysis revealed that a high SUVmax (≥5.85) was an independent prognostic factor for OS (P = 0.046) in patients with CCC. However, a high SUVmax (≥7.77) was a poor predictor of PFS and OS in patients with EOC (P = 0.156 and P = 0.158, respectively).ConclusionOur findings suggest that the pretreatment SUVmax is not only an independent predictor of survival in patients with CCC but also a significant predictor of survival in patients with LGSC.     

Pemetrexed (Alimta®, LY231514) demonstrates clinical activity in chemonaive patients with cervical cancer in a phase II single-agent trial

The objective of this study was to determine the response rate in chemonaive patients with inoperable, locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer treated with pemetrexed (Alimta, LY231514), a multitargeted antifolate. The patients were treated with either 500 mg/m(2) (11 patients) or 600 mg/m(2) (24 patients) of pemetrexed, administered as a 10-min infusion on day 1 of a 21-day cycle. Patients receiving 500 mg/m(2) dose also received 5 mg/day oral folic acid supplementation beginning 2 days prior and ending on day 3 of each cycle. Of the 34 patients evaluable for efficacy, six patients (18%) had partial response, with median response duration of 3.8 months (range, 3.3-6.6 months). Twenty-four patients (71%) had stable disease, one patient (3%) had progressive disease, and three patients could not be assessed. Median overall survival was 15.2 months (range, 2.9-35.3+ months). Grade 4 hematologic toxicities consisted of neutropenia (37%), leukopenia (9%), anemia (6%), and thrombocytopenia (3%). One patient died of hypotensive shock associated with frank rectal hemorrhage that was considered to be related to the study drug. We conclude that pemetrexed therapy showed moderate activity, similar to other active agents, in the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic cervical cancer.     

同步放化疗治疗Ib2和IIa2期宫颈癌疗效及预后相关因素分析

目的:探讨同步放化疗治疗Ib2期和IIa2期宫颈癌的疗效和不良反应,并分析预后影响因素。方法:回顾分析2000年1月至2010年12月首都医科大学附属北京妇产医院妇瘤科收治的73例接受同步放化疗的Ib2和IIa2期宫颈癌患者的临床病理资料。统计有效率和疾病控制率评价近期疗效,统计3年、5年无瘤生存率(DFS)及总生存率(OS)评价远期疗效,记录患者的不良反应,并分析可能影响患者预后的相关因素。结果:同步放化疗治疗Ib2期和IIa2期宫颈癌的有效率(CR+PR)为91.78%,疾病控制率(CR+PR+SD)为97.26%;3年DFS为84.93%,0S为86.30%;5年DFS为79.45%,0S为82.19%。所有不良反应患者均可耐受,对症治疗后均可缓解。单因素分析显示,患者的生存率与肿瘤的病理类型、分化程度、大小、有无淋巴结转移以及治疗前后血鳞状细胞癌抗原(SCC-Ag)值有关(P0.05)。多因素分析表明,肿瘤病理类型、大小、有无淋巴结转移及治疗后1个月血SCC-Ag值为远期疗效的独立影响因素。结论:同步放化疗治疗Ib2期和IIa2期宫颈癌的近、远期疗效肯定,不良反应可耐受,是一种可供选择的方法。病理类型为腺癌、肿瘤直径﹥5cm、有淋巴结转移、治疗后1个月血SCC-Ag值≥1.5ng/ml者预后较差,需进一步加强研究。     

Prognostic value of metabolic tumor volume measured by FDG-PET/CT in patients with cervical cancer

Objective

To determine if preoperative metabolic tumor volume (MTV) measured by integrated ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) imaging has prognostic value in patients with cervical cancer treated primarily with radical hysterectomy.

Methods

Patients with FIGO stage IB to IIA cervical cancer were imaged with FDG-PET/CT before radical surgery. MTV was measured from attenuation-corrected FDG-PET/CT images using a standard uptake value (SUV)-based automated contouring program. We evaluated the relationship of MTV to disease-free survival (DFS).

Results

A total of 63 patients were included in the study. The cut-off value for predicting recurrence was determined using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. MTV in this study was found to be correlated with lymph node (LN) metastasis, parametrium (PM) involvement, FIGO stage, and SUV_max. In univariate analysis, MTV ≥ 23.4 mL (HR 1.017, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.005-1.029, P = 0.004), SUV_max ≥ 9.5 (HR 5.198, 95% CI 1.076-25.118, P = 0.04), LN metastasis (HR 12.338, 95% CI 1.541-98.813, P = 0.018), PM involvement (HR 14.274, 95% CI 1.785-114.149, P = 0.012), and lymphovascular space invasion (HR 8.871, 95% CI 1.104-71.261, P = 0.04), were related to DFS. In multivariate analyses, age (HR 0.748, 95% CI 0.587-0.952, P = 0.018) and MTV ≥ 23.4 mL (HR 49.559, 95% CI 1.257-1953.399, P = 0.037) were determined to be independent prognostic factors of DFS.

Conclusion

Preoperative MTV is an independent prognostic factor for DFS in patients with cervical cancer treated by radical surgery.