Clinical value of metabolic tumor volume by PET/CT in extranodal natural killer/T cell lymphoma

High metabolic tumor volume is associated with decreased efficacy of axicabtagene ciloleucel in large B-cell lymphoma

High metabolic tumor volume (MTV) predicts worse outcomes in lymphoma treated with chemotherapy. However, it is unknown if this holds for patients treated with axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel), an anti-CD19 targeted chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. The primary objective of this retrospective study was to investigate the relationship between MTV and survival (overall survival [OS] and progression-free survival [PFS]) in patients with relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) treated with axi-cel. Secondary objectives included finding the association of MTV with response rates and toxicity. The MTV values on baseline positron emission tomography of 96 patients were calculated via manual methodology using commercial software. Based on a median MTV cutoff value of 147.5 mL in the first cohort (n = 48), patients were divided into high and low MTV groups. Median follow-up for survivors was 24.98 months (range, 10.59-51.02 months). Patients with low MTV had significantly superior OS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.10-0.66) and PFS (HR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.18-0.89). Results were successfully validated in a second cohort of 48 patients with a median follow-up for survivors of 12.03 months (range, 0.89-25.74 months). Patients with low MTV were found to have superior OS (HR, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.05-0.42) and PFS (HR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.12-0.69). In conclusion, baseline MTV is associated with OS and PFS in axi-cel recipients with LBCL.

Metabolic activity of extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma on 18F-FDG PET/CT according to immune subtyping

Disseminated extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma (ENKTL) is associated with dismal prognosis. Hence, distinct tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) subtypes were proposed to explain their influence on ENKTL progression and help predict treatment response. In this study, we investigated the capacity of FDG PET/CT to discern ENKTL TIME subtypes. A total of 108 pretreatment FDG PET/CT scans of 103 patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed ENKTL were retrospectively analyzed. TIME subtype was determined using three key immunohistochemical markers. SUVmax, MTV and TLG were measured, and metabolic features associated with TIME subtype were statistically extracted. TIME subtype was immune tolerance (IT) in 13.9%, immune evasion A (IE-A) in 56.5%, immune evasion B (IE-B) in 21.3%, and immune silenced (IS) in 8%. The IS group showed the highest SUVmax (15.9 ± 6.4, P = 0.037), followed by IE-A (14.1 ± 7.8), IE-B (10.9 ± 5.6), and IT groups (9.6 ± 5.1). Among 53 with only nasal FDG lesions, 52 had non-IS subtype. Among 55 with extra-nasal FDG lesions, those with IS subtype more often had adrenal (P = 0.001) or testis involvement (P = 0.043), greater MTV (P = 0.005), greater TLG (P = 0.005), and SUVmax located at extra-nasal sites. The presence of 0–2 and 3–4 of these four findings was associated with low probability (2/46) and high probability (6/9) of IS subtype, respectively. Furthermore, patients showing IS subtype-favoring PET/CT pattern had worse overall survival compared to their counterparts. These results demonstrate that FDG PET/CT can help predict immune subtype in ENKTL patients. The different patterns between glycolytic activity and involved site according to TIME subtype might be related to the interplay between tumor cells and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment.

Baseline total metabolic tumor volume combined with international peripheral T-cell lymphoma project may improve prognostic stratification for patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL)

Purpose

The aim of this study was to explore the prognostic value of total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV) at baseline ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT in patients diagnosed with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL).

Materials and methods

Eighty-four newly diagnosed PTCL patients who underwent baseline ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT prior to treatment between March 2009 and January 2019 were enrolled in this retrospective study. The FDG-avid lesions in each patient were segmented using semiautomated software to calculate the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) values using the boundaries of voxels presenting with the 41% SUVmax threshold method. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were used as end points to evaluate patient prognosis. The log-rank test and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate PFS and OS.

Results

ROC curve analysis indicated an ideal TMTV cut-off value of 228.8 cm³. During the 4–131 months (29.2 ± 28.5 months) follow-up period, high TMTV was significantly associated with worse PFS and OS. TMTV and the international peripheral T-cell lymphoma project score (IPTCLP) were independent predictors of PFS and OS with multivariate analysis. The combination of TMTV and the IPTCLP may provide significantly better risk substratification in PFS and OS of PTCL patients.

Conclusions

Both TMTV and IPTCLP are independent predictors of PTCL patient survival outcomes. Moreover, the combination of TMTV and IPTCLP improved patient risk stratification and may contribute to personalized therapeutic regimens.

Baseline SUVmax of 18F-FDG PET-CT indicates prognosis of extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma

To evaluate the prognostic value of the baseline SUVmax of F-FDG PET-CT in extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL) patients.From January 2010 to December 2015, 141 extranodal NKTCL patients with staging F-FDG PET-CT scan were divided into two group based on SUVmax cutoff value obtained from operating characteristic (ROC) curves. All the patients received radiotherapy, chemotherapy or chemoradiation. Survival analysis was performed on the basis of SUVmax.The median baseline SUVmax of the tumors was 11.67 (range 2.6-34.6). The ROC curves showed that the optimal cutoff of the baseline SUVmax was 9.65. The patients were divided into two groups: low SUV group (SUVmax < 9.65) and high SUV group (SUVmax ≥ 9.65). Patients in high SUV group were more likely to have invasive disease outside the nasal cavity (P < .001), poorer ECOG scores (P = .012) and higher LDH levels (P = .034). The univariate survival analyses indicated that high SUVmax was a poor prognostic factor for overall survival (OS, P = .038), progression free survival (PFS, P = .006) and distant relapse free survival (DRFS, P = .001), but not for local recurrence free survival (LRFS, P > .05). These results were consistent with that of the survival analyses using the Kaplan-Meier method. The multivariate survival analyses showed that the baseline SUVmax was no longer a prognostic factor for OS (HR 1.99, 95% CI 0.81-4.88, P = .135), but it still indicated worse PFS (HR 2.6, 95% CI 1.24-5.46, P = .012) and DRFS (HR 4.58, 95% CI 1.83-11.46, P = .001) independent of other variables.For extranodal NKTCL patients, a higher baseline SUVmax of F-FDG PET-CT was associated with more aggressive clinical features. An SUVmax ≥ 9.65 was an independent poor prognostic factor for DRFS and PFS. Thus, the baseline SUVmax may be a valuable tool to help identify patients with a high risk of disease progression.

Standardized thresholds of volume-based PET/CT parameters predicting survival of patients with pancreatic head cancer treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy

OBJECTIVE

To explore standardized relative thresholds of volume-based parameters on FDG PET/CT, and define the optimal prognosticator among the relative thresholds for patients with locally advanced pancreatic head cancer (LAPHC) treated by stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).

METHODS

Thirty-five patients with LAPHC were enrolled, and all underwent SBRT and baseline FDG PET/CT scan. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was measured, and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were calculated under the relative (30%, 40%, and 50%) thresholds of SUVmax. Survival analysis was performed via univariate and multivariate analyses, and independent prognostic factors were determined by Cox proportional hazard models and corresponding survival curves and scatter diagram were drawn.

RESULTS

The median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 13.8 and 9.8 months, respectively. On univariate analysis, MTV(40%) < 5.6 cm³, accumulated dose (AD) ≥ 36 Gy and the absence of pancreatic duct (PD) stents were significantly correlated with both superior OS and PFS, TLG (40%) < 29.9 was related to better OS and biological effective dose (BED₁₀) ≥ 57.6 Gy was related to better PFS (all with p < 0.05). Further, multivariate analysis demonstrated both MTV (40%) and AD were independent prognosticators for OS and PFS, and BED₁₀ was an independent predictor for PFS (all with p < 0.05). Scatter diagram showed BED₁₀ to be a stronger clinical prognosis predictor for PFS than AD.

CONCLUSIONS

MTV (40%) was the optimal prognosticator among the relative thresholds of SUVmax for tumor delineation on PET/CT for LAPHC patients receiving SBRT. AD was also favorable indicators for OS and PFS of patients, and BED₁₀ was more sensitive than AD in predicting the PFS of patients.

The prognostic role of 18F-FDG PET/CT baseline quantitative metabolic parameters in peripheral T-cell lymphoma

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the prognostic significance of baseline maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax), whole body SUVmax (WBSUVmax), whole body metabolic tumor volume (WBMTV) and whole body total lesion glycolysis (WBTLG) in patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). Methods: Eighty patients with PTCL who underwent pretreatment ¹⁸F-PET/CT were enrolled in this study. WBMTV and WBTLG were computed by using the margin threshold of SUV>3.0. WBSUVmax was obtained by summing of SUVmax of the whole-body SUVmax of 11 nodal and 10 extra-nodal lesions. Results: Median SUVmax was 13.8 (range, 4.6-35.5), median WBSUVmax was 24.6 (range, 4.6-153.4), median WBMTV was 149 cm³ (range, 4-4545 cm³) and median WBTLG was 1017 (range, 16.5-23739). Six patients with anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK positive were excluded in the following statistical analysis for their unique pathological types and good prognosis. The receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis showed that the optimal cut-off values of WBSUVmax, WBMTV and WBTLG with overall survival (OS) were 22.2, 169.5 cm³ and 746.1, respectively. Patients with high WBSUVmax, WBMTV and WBTLG had a poor prognosis. WBSUVmax, WBMTV and WBTLG were associated with international prognostic index (IPI) and prognostic index for T-cell lymphoma (PIT). In multivariate analysis, WBTLG and PIT were independent prognostic factors of both progression free survival (PFS) and OS. Conclusions: Our study shows that high WBTLG, WBMTV and WBSUVmax could predict a relatively poor prognosis, and has a highly significant association with PIT and IPI.WBTLG could be an independent predictive factor for survival outcomes in patients with PTCL.

Positron emission tomography/computed tomography in the diagnosis, staging, and prognostic evaluation of natural killer/T-cell lymphoma

Natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NKTL) is a rare subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that is associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection. The clinicopathological features of NKTL are unique among lymphomas. NKTL is an aggressive disease with a poor prognosis in the absence of effective treatment. Accurate diagnosis and staging are essential to ensure an appropriate treatment strategy and accurate prognosis of NKTL. ¹⁸F-Fluorodexoyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT) is a valuable technique in the diagnosis, staging, and prognostic evaluation of various types of malignant tumors, including NKTL. PET/CT imaging studies of patients with NKTL have shown that NKTL is ¹⁸F-FDG-avid and that PET/CT is superior to conventional methods in detecting cutaneous and extracutaneous lesions. We herein review recent PET/CT studies that have provided considerable insight into the diagnosis, staging, prognostic evaluation, and treatment effectiveness in patients with NKTL.

Predictive approaches for post-therapy PET/CT in patients with extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma: a retrospective study

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic capacity of three methods of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) PET/CT analysis carried out after therapy in patients with extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL). The three methods of PET/CT analysis included the International Harmonization Project (IHP) criteria, the Deauville five-point scale (5-PS), and standardized uptake value (SUV)-based assessment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Fifty-nine patients diagnosed with ENKTL were enrolled. Each patient underwent three F-FDG PET/CT scans: (i) baseline, (ii) after two to four cycles of chemotherapy (early response assessment), and (iii) at the end of treatment (evaluation of the final response). Post-therapy F-FDG PET/CT results were determined on the basis of IHP criteria, 5-PS, and change in the maximum F-FDG uptake (ΔSUVmax). IHP criteria, 5-PS, and ΔSUVmax were then examined for their ability to predict progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Over a median follow-up of 25 months, 5-PS and ΔSUVmax were significant predictors of PFS and OS. After multivariate analysis, 5-PS could predict PFS (P=0.008) and OS (P=0.002) independently. ΔSUVmax was found to be an independent predictor of PFS (P=0.019), but not OS, and had a lower accuracy and positive predictive value than 5-PS.

CONCLUSION

Post-therapy PET/CT analysis using the 5-PS is more able to predict survival than analysis with IHP or [INCREMENT]SUVmax in ENKTL patients.

Prognostic value of baseline, interim and end-of-treatment 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters in extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma: A meta-analysis

METHODS

We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Medline databases for eligible articles. SUVmax, MTV, and TLG on B-PET/CT, DS on I-PET/CT and DS on E-PET/CT were regarded as efficacy data. Combined hazard ratios (HRs) for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using RevMan 5.3 software.

RESULTS

Nine trials with a total of 535 ENKTL patients were included. SUVmax, MTV and TLG on B-PET/CT were significantly associated with PFS with HRs of 2.78 (95%CI 1.54-5.03), 3.61 (95%CI 1.96-6.65) and 5.62 (95%CI 1.94-16.33), respectively, and with OS with HRs of 4.78 (95%CI 2.29-9.96), 3.20 (95%CI 1.55-6.60) and 7.76 (95%CI 1.79-33.58), respectively. For the DS on I-PET/CT, the HRs for PFS and OS were 5.15 (95%CI 2.71-9.80) and 5.80 (95%CI 2.28-14.73), respectively. Similarly, the DS on E-PET/CT was a significant predictor of PFS and OS with HRs of 3.65 (95%CI 2.13-6.26) and 3.32 (95%CI 1.79-6.15), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that SUVmax, MTV, TLG on B-PET/CT, DS on I-PET/CT and DS on E-PET/CT may be significant prognostic indicators for PFS and OS in ENKTL patients. Moreover, TLG tends to be superior to SUVmax and MTV on B-PET/CT for predicting survival of ENKTL patients. Therefore, response monitoring and prognostication assessments based on multiple PET/CT parameters should be considered in the management of ENKTL patients.

Tumor necrosis and complete resection has significant impacts on survival in patients with limited-stage upper aerodigestive tract NK/T cell lymphoma

Tumor necrosis (TN) is associated with worse prognosis in several solid cancers. Whether TN predicts poor outcome in natural killer cell / T cell lymphoma (NKTCL) is unclear. We investigated the clinical impact of TN on survival and other novel prognostic parameters in upper aero-digestive tract (UAT) NKTCL of 100 patients with limited stage. TN was significantly associated with poor performance status (p = 0.049), high Korean Prognostic Index score (p = 0.024), high C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (p = 0.003), higher maximum standard uptake value on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) (p = 0.008) and higher metabolic tumor volume (MTV) on PET/CT (p < 0.001). In univariate and multivariate analyses, progression-free survival and overall survival were independently associated with High MTV status (p = 0.001, p = 0.032), TN (p = 0.018, p = 0.009), local tumor invasiveness (p = 0.007, p = 0.035), complete resection (p = 0.020, p = 0.028) and regional lymph node involvement (p < 0.001, p < 0.001). TN and complete resection are concluded to be novel independent prognostic factors in patients with UAT NKTCL.

High total metabolic tumor volume in PET/CT predicts worse prognosis in diffuse large B cell lymphoma patients with bone marrow involvement in rituximab era

Bone marrow involvement (BMI) in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) was naively regarded as an adverse clinical factor. However, it has been unknown which factor would separate clinical outcomes in DLBCL patients with BMI. Recently, metabolic tumor volume (MTV) on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) was suggested to predict prognosis in several lymphoma types. Therefore, we investigated whether MTV would separate the outcomes in DLBCL patients with BMI. MTV on PET/CT was defined as an initial tumor burden as target lesion ≥ standard uptake value, 2.5 in 107 patients with BMI. Intramedullary (IM) MTV was defined as extent of BMI and total MTV was as whole tumor burden. 260.5 cm(3) and 601.2 cm(3) were ideal cut-off values for dividing high and low MTV status in the IM and total lymphoma lesions in Receiver Operating Curve analysis. High risk NCCN-IPI (p<0.001, p<0.001), bulky disease (p=0.011, p=0.005), concordant subtype (p=0.025, p=0.029), high IM MTV status (p<0.001, p<0.001), high total MTV status (p<0.001, p<0.001), and ≥ 2CAs in BM (p=0.037, p=0.033) were significantly associated with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) than other groups. In multivariate analysis, high risk NCCN-IPI (PFS, p=0.006; OS, p=0.013), concordant subtype (PFS, p=0.005; OS, p=0.007), and high total MTV status (PFS, p<0.001; OS, p<0.001) had independent clinical impacts. MTV had prognostic significances for survivals in DLBCL with BMI.

Utility of interim and end-of-treatment PET/CT in peripheral T-cell lymphomas: A review of 124 patients

According to the updated guidelines for imaging in lymphoma, 18F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is recommended for staging and evaluation of treatment response in FDG-avid lymphomas. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the utility of PET/CT in nodal peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL). Patients with newly diagnosed nodal PTCL (peripheral T-cell lymphoma NOS, anaplastic large-cell lymphoma, or angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma) seen at five Danish hematology centers during the period 2006 to 2012 were included, if they had been pretherapeutically staged with PET/CT. Medical records were reviewed for baseline clinical and follow-up information. Staging, interim (I-PET), and end-of-treatment PET/CT (E-PET) studies were centrally reviewed, and reported using the Deauville 5-point score (DS). A total of 124 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The median age was 58 years, and 88% received CHOP/CHOP-like therapy. Five years PFS and OS of the study population was 36.8% (95% CI 27.3-46.4) and 49.7% (95% CI 38.9-59.6), respectively. The presence of PET/CT-ascertained lung and/or liver involvement was associated with a worse outcome. The sensitivity of PET/CT for detecting biopsy-defined bone marrow involvement was only 18% (95% CI 4-43). An interim DS >3 was not prognostic for worse OS and PFS among CHOP/CHOP-like treated patients in uni- or multivariate analyses. A DS >3 after treatment predicted a worse prognosis. In conclusion, I-PET was not predictive of outcome in CHOP/CHOP-like treated PTCL patients when using the DS. Prospective studies are needed to determine the optimal use of PET/CT in PTCL including the role of quantitative PET/CT analysis.

Management of advanced NK/T-cell lymphoma

NK/T-cell lymphomas are aggressive malignancies, and the outlook is poor when conventional anthracycline-containing regimens designed for B-cell lymphomas are used. With the advent of L-asparaginase-containing regimens, treatment outcome has significantly improved. L-asparaginase-containing regimens are now considered the standard in the management of NK/T-cell lymphomas. In advanced diseases, however, outcome remains unsatisfactory, with durable remission achieved in only about 50% of cases. Stratification of patients with advanced NK/T-cell lymphomas is needed, so that poor-risk patients can be given additional therapy to improve outcome. Conventional presentation parameters are untested and appear inadequate for prognostication when L-asparaginase-containing regimens are used. Recent evidence suggests that dynamic factors during treatment and interim assessment, including Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA quantification and positron emission tomography computed tomography findings, are more useful in patient stratification. The role of high-dose chemotherapy and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation requires evaluation in an overall risk-adapted treatment algorithm.

State-Of-The-Art and Recent Advances in Quantification for Therapeutic Follow-Up in Oncology Using PET

¹⁸F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) is an important tool in oncology. Its use has greatly progressed from initial diagnosis to staging and patient monitoring. The information derived from ¹⁸F-FDG-PET allowed the development of a wide range of PET quantitative analysis techniques ranging from simple semi-quantitative methods like the standardized uptake value (SUV) to “high order metrics” that require a segmentation step and additional image processing. In this review, these methods are discussed, focusing particularly on the available methodologies that can be used in clinical trials as well as their current applications in international consensus for PET interpretation in lymphoma and solid tumors.

Prognostic Value of Metabolic Tumor Volume Estimated by (18) F-FDG Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography in Patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma of Stage II or III Disease

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of metabolic tumor volume (MTV) measured by (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treated with rituximab-containing immunochemotherapy.

METHODS

Patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL who underwent pre-treatment torso FDG-PET/CT scan taken within 10 days before treatment were included. MTV was defined as the volume of hypermetabolic tissue with a standardized uptake value (SUV) greater than a threshold value of 2.5 and calculated using volume viewer software. Association of MTV with patient characteristics and survival were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 96 patients were evaluated. During a median follow-up period of 27.8 months, 3-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival was 69.5 % and 72.9 %, respectively. The Ann Arbor staging showed a limitation of prognosis because there was no difference of EFS between patients with Ann Arbor stage II and those with stage III. On the contrary, among patients with Ann Arbor stage II or III disease (n = 53), the higher MTV group showed significantly inferior EFS compared with the lower MTV group.

CONCLUSIONS

In the current study, we identified the pre-treatment MTV measured by FDG-PET/CT as a potential predictor of survival in patients with DLBCL treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (R-CHOP), at least in Ann Arbor stage II and III disease.

Baseline metabolic tumor volume and total lesion glycolysis are associated with survival outcomes in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer receiving stereotactic body radiation therapy

PURPOSE

Although previous studies have demonstrated the prognostic value of positron emission tomography (PET) parameters in other malignancies, the role of PET in pancreatic cancer has yet to be well established. We analyzed the prognostic utility of PET for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) undergoing fractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-two patients with LAPC in a prospective clinical trial received up to 3 doses of gemcitabine, followed by 33 Gy in 5 fractions of 6.6 Gy, using SBRT. All patients received a baseline PET scan prior to SBRT (pre-SBRT PET). Metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), and maximum and peak standardized uptake values (SUVmax and SUVpeak) on pre-SBRT PET scans were calculated using custom-designed software. Disease was measured at a threshold based on the liver SUV, using the equation Livermean + [2 × Liversd]. Median values of PET parameters were used as cutoffs when assessing their prognostic potential through Cox regression analyses.

RESULTS

Of the 32 patients, the majority were male (n=19, 59%), 65 years or older (n=21, 66%), and had tumors located in the pancreatic head (n=27, 84%). Twenty-seven patients (84%) received induction gemcitabine prior to SBRT. Median overall survival for the entire cohort was 18.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 15.7-22.0). An MTV of 26.8 cm(3) or greater (hazard ratio [HR] 4.46, 95% CI 1.64-5.88, P<.003) and TLG of 70.9 or greater (HR 3.08, 95% CI 1.18-8.02, P<.021) on pre-SBRT PET scan were associated with inferior overall survival on univariate analysis. Both pre-SBRT MTV (HR 5.13, 95% CI 1.19-22.21, P=.029) and TLG (HR 3.34, 95% CI 1.07-10.48, P=.038) remained independently associated with overall survival in separate multivariate analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Pre-SBRT MTV and TLG are potential predictive factors for overall survival in patients with LAPC and may assist in tailoring therapy.

Metabolic tumor volume by positron emission tomography/computed tomography as a clinical parameter to determine therapeutic modality for early stage Hodgkin's lymphoma

Recent studies have shown that metabolic tumor volume (MTV) by positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is an important prognostic parameter in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. However, it is unknown whether doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine (ABVD) alone in early stage Hodgkin's lymphoma would lead to similar disease control as combined modality therapy (CMT) using MTV by PET/CT. One hundred and twenty-seven patients with early stage Hodgkin's lymphoma who underwent PET/CT at diagnosis were enrolled. The MTV was delineated on PET/CT by the area ≥SUV(max), 2.5 (standardized uptake value [SUV]). Sixty-six patients received six cycles of ABVD only. The other 61 patients received CMT (involved-field radiotherapy after 4-6 cycles of ABVD). The calculated MTV cut-off value was 198 cm(3) . Clinical outcomes were compared according to several prognostic factors (i.e. age ≥50 years, male, performance status ≥2, stage II, B symptoms, ≥4 involved sites, extranodal site, large mediastinal mass, CMT, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and high MTV). Older age (progression-free survival [PFS], P = 0.003; overall survival [OS], P = 0.007), B symptoms (PFS, P = 0.006; OS, P = 0.036) and high MTV (PFS, P = 0.008; OS, P = 0.007) were significant independent prognostic factors. Survival of two high MTV groups treated with ABVD only and CMT were lower than the low MTV groups (PFS, P < 0.012; OS, P < 0.045). ABVD alone was sufficient to control disease in those with low MTV status. However, survival was poor, even if the CMT was assigned a high MTV status. The MTV would be helpful for deciding the therapeutic modality in patients with early stage Hodgkin's lymphoma.