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Lee H, Hwang KH. Significance of incidental focal fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in colon/rectum, thyroid, and prostate: With a brief literature review. World J Clin Cases 2022; 10:12532-12542. [PMID: 36579086 PMCID: PMC9791515 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i34.12532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-18 FDG PET/CT), a functional imaging method, is usually performed on the entire torso, and regions of unexpected suspicious focal hypermetabolism are not infrequently observed. Among the regions, colon, thyroid, and prostate were found to be the common organs in a recent umbrella review. Some studies reported that a high rate of malignancy was shown in incidentally identified focal hypermetabolic regions and suggested that further examinations should not be ignored.
AIM To investigate the malignancy rate of incidental focal FDG uptake, useful PET parameters and their cutoffs in discrimination between malignant and benign lesions.
METHODS Retrospectively, the final reports of 16510 F-18 FDG PET/CT scans performed at our hospital between January 2016 and March 2022 were reviewed to identify incidentally observed FDG uptake in the colon/rectum, thyroid, and prostate. The scans of patients with current or prior malignancies at each corresponding location, without the final reports of histopathology or colonoscopy (for colon and rectum) for the corresponding hypermetabolic regions, or with diffuse (not focal) hypermetabolism were excluded. Finally, 88 regions of focal colorectal hypermetabolism in 85 patients (48 men and 37 women with mean age 67.0 ± 13.4 years and 63.4 ± 15.8 years, respectively), 48 focal thyroid uptakes in 48 patients (12 men and 36 women with mean age 62.2 ± 13.1 years and 60.8 ± 12.4 years, respectively), and 39 focal prostate uptakes in 39 patients (mean age 71.8 ± 7.5 years) were eligible for this study. For those unexpected focal hypermetabolic regions, rates of malignancy were calculated, PET parameters, such as standardized uptake value (SUV), capable of distinguishing between malignant and benign lesions were investigated, and the cutoffs of those PET parameters were determined by plotting receiver operating characteristic curves.
RESULTS In the colon and rectum, 29.5% (26/88) were malignant and 33.0% (29/88) were premalignant lesions. Both SUVmax and SUVpeak differentiated malignant/premalignant from benign lesions, however, no parameters could distinguish malignant from premalignant lesions. Higher area under the curve was shown with SUVmax (0.752, 95%CI: 0.649-0.856, P < 0.001) and the cutoff was 7.6. In the thyroid, 60.4% (29/48) were malignant. The majority were well-differentiated thyroid cancers (89.7%, 26/29). The results of BRAF mutation tests were available for 20 of the 26 well-differentiated thyroid cancers and all 20 had the mutation. Solely SUVmax differentiated malignant from benign lesions and the cutoff was 6.9. In the prostate, 56.4% (22/39) were malignant. Only SUVmax differentiated malignant from benign lesions and the cutoff was 3.8. Overall, among the 175 focal hypermetabolic regions, 60.6% (106/175) were proven to be malignant and premalignant (in colon and rectum) lesions.
CONCLUSION Approximately 60% of the incidentally observed focal F-18 FDG uptake in the colon/rectum, thyroid, and prostate were found to be malignant. Of the several PET parameters, SUVmax was superior to others in distinguishing between malignant/premalignant and benign lesions. Based on these findings, incidental focal hypermetabolism should not be ignored and lead physicians to conduct further investigations with greater confidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haejun Lee
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Gachon University College of Medicine, Gil Medical Center, Incheon 21565, South Korea
| | - Kyung-Hoon Hwang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Gachon University College of Medicine, Gil Medical Center, Incheon 21565, South Korea
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Lee H, Chung YS, Lee JH, Lee KY, Hwang KH. Characterization of focal hypermetabolic thyroid incidentaloma: An analysis with F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography parameters. World J Clin Cases 2022; 10:155-165. [PMID: 35071515 PMCID: PMC8727242 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i1.155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Incidentally found thyroid tumor (thyroid incidentaloma, TI) on F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) is reported in 2.5%-5% of patients being investigated for non-thyroid purposes. Up to 50% of these cases have been diagnosed to be malignant by cytological/histological results. Ultrasonography (US) and fine-needle aspiration cytology are recommended for thyroid nodules with high FDG uptake (hypermetabolism) that are 1 cm or greater in size. It is important to accurately determine whether a suspicious hypermetabolic TI is malignant or benign.
AIM To distinguish malignant hypermetabolic TIs from benign disease by analyzing F-18 FDG PET-CT parameters and to identify a cut-off value.
METHODS Totally, 12761 images of patients who underwent F-18 FDG PET-CT for non-thyroid purposes at our hospital between January 2016 and December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed, and 339 patients [185 men (mean age: 68 ± 11.2) and 154 women (mean age: 63 ± 15.0)] were found to have abnormal, either focal or diffuse, thyroid FDG uptake. After a thorough review of their medical records, US, and cytological/histological reports, 46 eligible patients with focal hypermetabolic TI were included in this study. The TIs were categorized as malignant and benign according to the cytological/histological reports, and four PET parameters [standardized uptake value (SUV)max, SUVpeak, SUVmean, and metabolic tumor volume (MTV)] were measured on FDG PET-CT. Total lesion glycolysis (TLG) was calculated by multiplying the SUVmean by MTV. Both parametric and non-parametric methods were used to compare the five parameters between malignant and benign lesions. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to identify a cut-off value.
RESULTS Each of the 46 patients [12 men (26.1%; mean age: 62 ± 13.1 years) and 34 women (73.9%; mean age: 60 ± 12.0 years)] with focal hypermetabolic TIs had one focal hypermetabolic TI. Among them, 26 (56.5%) were malignant and 20 (43.5%) were benign. SUVmax, SUVpeak, SUVmean, and TLG were all higher in malignant lesions than benign ones, but the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.012) only for SUVmax. There was a positive linear correlation (r = 0.339) between SUVmax and the diagnosis of malignancy. ROC curve analysis for SUVmax revealed an area under the curve of 0.702 (P < 0.05, 95% confidence interval: 0.550-0.855) and SUVmax cut-off of 8.5 with a sensitivity of 0.615 and a specificity of 0.789.
CONCLUSION More than half of focal hypermetabolic TIs on F-18 FDG PET-CT were revealed as malignant lesions, and SUVmax was the best parameter for discriminating between malignant and benign disease. Unexpected focal hypermetabolic TIs with the SUVmax above the cut-off value of 8.5 may have a greater than 70% chance of malignancy; therefore, further active assessment is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haejun Lee
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Gachon University College of Medicine, Gil Medical Center, Incheon 21565, South Korea
| | - Yoo Seung Chung
- Department of Endocrine Surgery, Gachon University College of Medicine, Gil Medical Center, Incheon 21565, South Korea
| | - Joon-Hyop Lee
- Department of Endocrine Surgery, Gachon University College of Medicine, Gil Medical Center, Incheon 21565, South Korea
| | - Ki-Young Lee
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Gachon University College of Medicine, Gil Medical Center, Incheon 21565, South Korea
| | - Kyung-Hoon Hwang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Gachon University College of Medicine, Gil Medical Center, Incheon 21565, South Korea
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Ha LN, Iravani A, Nhung NT, Hanh NTM, Hutomo F, Son MH. Relationship between clinicopathologic factors and FDG avidity in radioiodine-negative recurrent or metastatic differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Cancer Imaging 2021; 21:8. [PMID: 33413689 PMCID: PMC7792294 DOI: 10.1186/s40644-020-00378-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In this study, we investigated the relationship between clinicopathologic factors, BRAFV600E mutation status and [18F] F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) avidity in patients with radioiodine (RAI)-negative recurrent or metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). METHODS From 2015 to 2018 all patients with suspected recurrent or metastatic radioiodine-negative DTC patients who underwent FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) were retrospectively reviewed. Suspected lesions on FDG PET/CT were biopsied and underwent BRAFV600E mutation testing by immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR. Tumor size, recurrent versus metastatic disease, histopathologic features including classical type versus aggressive subtypes (poorly differentiated, tall cell, columnar cell, hobnail variants) and BRAFV600E mutation status were correlated with the SUVmax of highest hypermetabolic lesions on FDG PET/CT by the univariate analysis using logistic regression. RESULTS Sixty-three consecutive patients, 55 (87.3%) female, with median age of 48 (range 17-81) were included. The majority of patients had BRAFV600E mutation and classical subtype, 55/63 (87.3%) and 45/63(71.4%), respectively. Thyroglobulin at the time of suspected recurrence was 262.7 ng/ml (range 16.3-1000) and patients received a median 3 prior RAI treatments. Fifty-four patients (85.7%) had local recurrence. The majority of patients 58/63 (92.1%) had FDG-avid disease on PET/CT. On univariate analysis, tumor size aggressive histopathologic types and distant metastasis are the significant factors for predicting FDG uptake, p = 0.04, p = 0.001 and p = 0.004 respectively. Although FDG uptake of BRAFV600E bearing recurrent/metastatic RAIR DTC lesions was higher than those without the mutation, the difference did not reach statistical significance, SUVmax of 7.11 versus 4.91, respectively, p = 0.2. CONCLUSION The majority of recurrent or metastatic RAI-negative DTC have BRAFV600E mutation and detectable disease on FDG PET/CT. FDG avidity of the recurrent or metastatic RAI-negative DTC is independently associated with the aggressive histopathologic features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Ngoc Ha
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, 108 Central Military Hospital, 1st Tran Hung Dao, Hai Ba Trung, Ha Noi, Vietnam
| | - Amir Iravani
- Washington University School of Medicine, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Nguyen Thi Nhung
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, 108 Central Military Hospital, 1st Tran Hung Dao, Hai Ba Trung, Ha Noi, Vietnam
| | - Ngo Thi Minh Hanh
- Department of Pathology, 108 Central Military Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Febby Hutomo
- Nuclear Medicine Department, MRCCC Siloam Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Mai Hong Son
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, 108 Central Military Hospital, 1st Tran Hung Dao, Hai Ba Trung, Ha Noi, Vietnam.
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Cai-Xia W, Rong-Fu W. Clinical application and research advancement of positron emission tomography/computed tomography in colorectal cancer. Shijie Huaren Xiaohua Zazhi 2020; 28:925-932. [DOI: 10.11569/wcjd.v28.i18.925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors of the digestive system. Early diagnosis and accurate staging and restaging of tumors are the preconditions for standardized treatment of colorectal cancer, which is conducive to the selection of treatment options and the evaluation of prognosis, as well as the improvement of patients' quality of life. With the popularization of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), its value in the diagnosis, staging and restaging, treatment decision-making, and efficacy and prognosis assessment of colorectal cancer is becoming increasingly important. This review briefly introduces the application and advancement of PET/CT in the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer, in the hope that clinicians can have a more comprehensive understanding of the significance of PET/CT in the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wu Cai-Xia
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Wang Rong-Fu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China,Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University International Hospital, Beijing 102206, China
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Treglia G, Goichot B, Giovanella L, Hindié E, Jha A, Pacak K, Taïeb D, Walter T, Imperiale A. Prognostic and predictive value of nuclear imaging in endocrine oncology. Endocrine 2020; 67:9-19. [PMID: 31734779 PMCID: PMC7441826 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-019-02131-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In the last few years, the role and use of medical technologies in (neuro)endocrine oncology has greatly evolved allowing not only important diagnostic information but also prognostic stratification in different clinical situations. The terms "prognostic" and "predictive" are commonly used to describe the relationships between biomarkers and patients' clinical outcomes but have quite different meaning. The present work discusses the prognostic and predictive value of nuclear medicine imaging. It critically reviews the clinical significance and potential impact of molecular examinations on follow-up and therapeutic strategies in patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms, thyroid tumors, and adrenal malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Treglia
- Clinic of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT Center, Imaging Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Health Technology Assessment Unit, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Clinical Trial Unit, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bernard Goichot
- Endocrinology and Internal Medicine Department, Hautepierre Hospital, University Hospitals of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Luca Giovanella
- Clinic of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT Center, Imaging Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- University Hospital and University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Elif Hindié
- Nuclear Medicine Department, Haut-Lévêque Hospital, University Hospitals of Bordeaux, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- LabEx TRAIL, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Abhishek Jha
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Karel Pacak
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David Taïeb
- Nuclear Medicine, La Timone University Hospital, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
- European Center for Research in Medical Imaging, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Thomas Walter
- Medical Oncology, Edouard Herriot Hospital, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
- University of Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Alessio Imperiale
- Biophysics and Nuclear Medicine, Hautepierre Hospital, University Hospitals of Strasbourg, Strasbourg University/FMTS, Strasbourg, France.
- Molecular Imaging-DRHIM, IPHC, UMR 7178, CNRS/Unistra, Strasbourg, France.
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Wen SS, Zhang TT, Xue DX, Wu WL, Wang YL, Wang Y, Ji QH, Zhu YX, Qu N, Shi RL. Metabolic reprogramming and its clinical application in thyroid cancer. Oncol Lett 2019; 18:1579-1584. [PMID: 31423225 PMCID: PMC6607326 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2019.10485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Warburg found that tumor cells exhibit high-level glycolysis, even under aerobic condition, which is known as the ‘Warburg effect’. As systemic changes in the entire metabolic network are gradually revealed, it is recognized that metabolic reprogramming has gone far beyond the imagination of Warburg. Metabolic reprogramming involves an active change in cancer cells to adapt to their biological characteristics. Thyroid cancer is a common endocrine malignant tumor whose metabolic characteristics have been studied in recent years. Some drugs targeting tumor metabolism are under clinical trial. This article reviews the metabolic changes and mechanisms in thyroid cancer, aiming to find metabolic-related molecules that could be potential markers to predict prognosis and metabolic pathways, or could serve as therapeutic targets. Our review indicates that knowledge in metabolic alteration has potential contributions in the diagnosis, treatment and prognostic evaluation of thyroid cancer, but further studies are needed for verification as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Shuai Wen
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Ting-Ting Zhang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Di-Xin Xue
- Department of General Surgery, Τhe Third Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Ruian, Zhejiang 325200, P.R. China
| | - Wei-Li Wu
- Department of General Surgery, Τhe Third Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Ruian, Zhejiang 325200, P.R. China
| | - Yu-Long Wang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Qing-Hai Ji
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Yong-Xue Zhu
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Ning Qu
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Rong-Liang Shi
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
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Zheng X, Peng C, Gao M, Zhi J, Hou X, Zhao J, Wei X, Chi J, Li D, Qian B. Risk factors for cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: a study of 1,587 patients. Cancer Biol Med 2019; 16:121-130. [PMID: 31119052 PMCID: PMC6528461 DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2018.0125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The purposes of this study were to identify risk factors for cervical lymph node metastasis and to examine the association between BRAFV600E status and clinical features in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC).
Methods A total of 1,587 patients with PTMC, treated in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital from January 2011 to March 2013, underwent retrospective analysis. We reviewed and analyzed factors including clinical results, pathology records, ultrasound results, and BRAFV600E status.
Results Multivariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that gender (male) [odds ratio (OR) = 1.845, P = 0.000], age (< 45 years)(OR = 1.606,P = 0.000), tumor size (> 6 mm) (OR = 2.137,P = 0.000), bilateralism (OR = 2.011, P = 0.000) and extrathyroidal extension (OR = 1.555, P = 0.001) served as independent predictors of central lymph node metastasis (CLNM). Moreover, CLNM (OR = 29.354, P = 0.000) served as an independent predictor of lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM). Among patients with a solitary primary tumor, those with tumor location in the lower third of the thyroid lobe or the isthmus were more likely to experience CLNM (P < 0.05). Univariate analyses indicated that CLNM, LLNM, extrathyroidal extension, and multifocality were not significantly associated with BRAFV600E mutation.
Conclusions The present study suggested that prophylactic neck dissection of the central compartment should be considered in patients with PTMC, particularly in men with tumor size greater than 6 mm, age less than 45 years, extrathyroidal extension, and tumor bilaterality. Among patients with PTMC, BRAFV600E mutation is not significantly associated with prognostic factors. For a better understanding of surgical management of PTMC and the risk factors, we recommend multicenter research and long-term follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangqian Zheng
- Department of Head and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Chen Peng
- Department of Head and Neck, Shanxi Cancer Hospital, Taiyuan 030013, China
| | - Ming Gao
- Department of Head and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Jingtai Zhi
- Department of Head and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Xiukun Hou
- Department of Head and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Jingzhu Zhao
- Department of Head and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Xi Wei
- Department of Ultrasound, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Jiadong Chi
- Department of Head and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Dapeng Li
- Department of Head and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Biyun Qian
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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Guo F, Hou X, Sun Q. MicroRNA-9-5p functions as a tumor suppressor in papillary thyroid cancer via targeting BRAF. Oncol Lett 2018; 16:6815-6821. [PMID: 30333891 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.9423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are widely studied as key regulators of gene expression and are involved in various diseases by affecting the miRNA-mediated regulatory function. BRAF is an important oncogene in the regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis. In the present study, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the expression levels of miR-9-5p and BRAF mRNA in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Western blotting was used to detect BRAF protein level. A luciferase assay was used to verify the miR-9-5p target site in BRAF. Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometry were used to assess cell proliferation, and apoptosis, respectively. In the present study, it was demonstrated that miR-9-5p is downregulated in malignant PTC. Using bioinformatics analysis, miR-9-5p was predicted to target the human BRAF 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR). A dual-luciferase assay demonstrated that miR-9-5p downregulated BRAF expression by directly targeting its 3'-UTR. Mutations in the 3'-UTR of BRAF completely abolished its interaction with miR-9-5p. Expression of exogenous miRNA that mimics miR-9-5p miRNA decreased BRAF protein and mRNA levels, while suppression of endogenous miR-9-5p resulted in an increase in BRAF protein, and mRNA levels. Furthermore, regulation of miR-9-5p was observed to suppress the viability of PTC cells by inducing apoptosis. Consistently, downregulation of miR-9-5p promoted proliferation of PTC cells by inhibiting the apoptosis of cells. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that miR-9-5p may perform an important role in PTC prognosis and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Guo
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, The Second People's Hospital of Liaocheng, Liaocheng, Shandong 252600, P.R. China
| | - Xinming Hou
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, The Second People's Hospital of Liaocheng, Liaocheng, Shandong 252600, P.R. China
| | - Qinghui Sun
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, The Second People's Hospital of Liaocheng, Liaocheng, Shandong 252600, P.R. China
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Chang JW, Park KW, Heo JH, Jung SN, Liu L, Kim SM, Kwon IS, Koo BS. Relationship Between 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose Accumulation and the BRAF V600E Mutation in Papillary Thyroid Cancer. World J Surg 2018; 42:114-122. [PMID: 28808756 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-017-4136-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To determine whether 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (18F-FDG)-PET/CT is useful for predicting the BRAF V600E mutation status of a primary papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed in 108 patients who underwent 18F-FDG positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) for staging before thyroidectomy and BRAF analysis in biopsy-confirmed PTC. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the primary tumor was calculated according to FDG accumulation. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the association between the SUVmax and clinicopathological variables. RESULTS The BRAF V600E mutation was detected in 71 of 108 (65.7%) patients. In all subjects, the tumor size and BRAF V600E mutation were independently related to the SUVmax according to multivariate analyses (P = 0.002 and 0.007, respectively). The SUVmax was significantly higher in tumors with the BRAF V600E mutation than in tumors with wild-type BRAF (10.24 ± 11.89 versus 4.02 ± 3.86; P = 0.007). In the tumor size >1 cm subgroup, the BRAF V600E mutation was the only factor significantly associated with the SUVmax (P = 0.016). A SUVmax cutoff level of 4.9 was determined to be significant for predicting the BRAF V600E mutation status (sensitivity 77.4%, specificity 100.0%, area under the curve 0.929; P < 0.0001) according to ROC curve analysis. CONCLUSIONS The BRAF V600E mutation is independently associated with high 18F-FDG uptake in PTC, especially in those with a tumor size >1 cm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Won Chang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Research Institute for Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, 640 Daesa-Dong, Chung-Gu, Daejeon, 301-721, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Wan Park
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Research Institute for Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, 640 Daesa-Dong, Chung-Gu, Daejeon, 301-721, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Hyung Heo
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Research Institute for Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, 640 Daesa-Dong, Chung-Gu, Daejeon, 301-721, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Nam Jung
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Research Institute for Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, 640 Daesa-Dong, Chung-Gu, Daejeon, 301-721, Republic of Korea
| | - Lihua Liu
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Min Kim
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - In Sun Kwon
- Clinical Trial Center, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Bon Seok Koo
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Research Institute for Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, 640 Daesa-Dong, Chung-Gu, Daejeon, 301-721, Republic of Korea.
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Lee JW, Lee SM. Radiomics in Oncological PET/CT: Clinical Applications. Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2018; 52:170-189. [PMID: 29942396 PMCID: PMC5995782 DOI: 10.1007/s13139-017-0500-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is widely used for staging, evaluating treatment response, and predicting prognosis in malignant diseases. FDG uptake and volumetric PET parameters such as metabolic tumor volume have been used and are still used as conventional PET parameters to assess biological characteristics of tumors. However, in recent years, additional features derived from PET images by computational processing have been found to reflect intratumoral heterogeneity, which is related to biological tumor features, and to provide additional predictive and prognostic information, which leads to the concept of radiomics. In this review, we focus on recent clinical studies of malignant diseases that investigated intratumoral heterogeneity on PET/CT, and we discuss its clinical role in various cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong Won Lee
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, International St. Mary’s Hospital, Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine, 25, Simgok-ro 100 Gil 25, Seo-gu, Incheon, 22711 South Korea
- Institute for Integrative Medicine, International St. Mary’s Hospital, Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Sang Mi Lee
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan, South Korea
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11
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Farrá JC, Picado O, Liu S, Ouyang W, Teo R, Franco AM, Lew JI. Clinically significant cancer rates in incidentally discovered thyroid nodules by routine imaging. J Surg Res 2017; 219:341-346. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2017.06.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Revised: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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12
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Choi EK, Chong A, Ha JM, Jung CK, O JH, Kim SH. Clinicopathological characteristics including BRAF V600E mutation status and PET/CT findings in papillary thyroid carcinoma. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2017; 87:73-79. [PMID: 28329426 DOI: 10.1111/cen.13335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Revised: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We assessed the associations between FDG uptake in primary papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) and clinicopathological features, including the BRAF V600E mutation, using quantitative and qualitative analyses of preoperative PET/CT data. DESIGN AND PATIENTS This was a retrospective review of 106 patients with PTC who underwent PET/CT scans between February 2009 and January 2011 before undergoing total thyroidectomy. Data collected from surgical specimens were compared with FDG uptake in the primary tumour using quantitative and qualitative analyses of preoperative PET/CT data. Clinicopathological data included the primary tumour size, subtype, capsular invasion, extrathyroid extension, multifocality, BRAF V600E mutation status, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis. RESULTS The SUVmax of the primary tumour was significantly higher in patients with a primary tumour >1 cm, extrathyroid extension or the BRAF V600E mutation than in patients without these features (P<.001, .049 and <.001). Univariate analyses showed that primary tumour size, extrathyroid extension and BRAF V600E mutation status were associated with the SUVmax of the PTC. Multivariate analysis indicated that primary tumour size and the BRAF V600E mutation were associated with the SUVmax of the PTC. In a visual assessment, the primary tumour size was larger in FDG-avid than in non-FDG-avid PTCs (P<.001). There was no significant difference in the presence of multifocality, thyroid capsular invasion, extrathyroid extension, BRAF V600E mutation, lymph node metastasis or distant metastasis between FDG-avid and non-FDG-avid PTCs. CONCLUSIONS Primary tumour size and the BRAF V600E mutation are significant factors associated with the SUVmax on preoperative PET/CT in patients with PTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Kyoung Choi
- Department of Radiology, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ari Chong
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Jung-Min Ha
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Chan Kwon Jung
- Department of Hospital Pathology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Joo Hyun O
- Department of Radiology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sung Hoon Kim
- Department of Radiology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea
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Ozderya A, Temizkan S, Gul AE, Ozugur S, Sargin M, Aydin K. Correlation of BRAF mutation and SUV max levels in thyroid cancer patients incidentally detected in 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. Endocrine 2017; 55:215-222. [PMID: 27696232 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-016-1128-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The prognostic importance of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose avidity in primary thyroid tumor and molecular basis responsible for its mechanism has not yet been well characterized. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the correlation between the maximum standardized uptake levels and B-type Raf kinase mutation positivity in incidentally detected papillary thyroid cancer patients during 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography examination. We retrospectively evaluated 6873 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography scans of consecutive subjects from a database search for tumor staging in 2014 at our hospital Nuclear Medicine Center. In total, 135 patients had focal 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the thyroid. Of these, 76 patients had fine-needle aspiration biopsy. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-maximum standardized uptake of the positron emission tomography-detected nodules was recorded. B-type Raf kinase (V600E) mutation and p53 protein expression were evaluated in papillary thyroid cancer patients. The incidence of thyroid incidentaloma in 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-maximum standardized uptake scans was 2 % (135/6873). Of the 76 patients evaluated, 41 % (n = 31) were diagnosed papillary thyroid cancer. B-type Raf kinase mutation was positive in 51 % (17/30) of the papillary thyroid cancer patients. Maximum standardized uptake levels of the nodules (≥1 cm) were significantly higher in B-type Raf kinase-mutated papillary thyroid cancer patients than in non-mutated patients [16.6 (10.4-27.9) vs. 9.7 (6.8-11.1); P = 0.007]. Correlation analysis revealed that maximum standardized uptake was significantly associated with B-type Raf kinase mutation positivity (r = 0.519; P = 0.005). Logistic regression analysis showed an association between maximum standardized uptake and B-type Raf kinase mutation positivity even after adjustment for age and gender (P = 0.01). B-type Raf kinase mutation is closely related to 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography maximum standardized uptake levels in patients with incidentally detected papillary thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aysenur Ozderya
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, 34890, Turkey
| | - Sule Temizkan
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, 34890, Turkey.
| | - Aylin Ege Gul
- Department of Pathology, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, 34890, Turkey
| | - Sule Ozugur
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, 34890, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Sargin
- Department of Family Medicine, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, 34890, Turkey
| | - Kadriye Aydin
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, 34890, Turkey
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Basu S, Parghane RV. Designing and Developing PET-Based Precision Model in Thyroid Carcinoma: The Potential Avenues for a Personalized Clinical Care. PET Clin 2016; 12:27-37. [PMID: 27863564 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpet.2016.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
This communication enumerates the current uses and potential areas where PET could be clinically utilized for developing "precision medicine" type model in thyroid carcinoma. (1) In routine clinics, PET imaging (with fluorodeoxyglucose [FDG]) is utilized to investigate patients of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) with high thyroglobulin and negative iodine scintigraphy (TENIS) and in medullary carcinoma thyroid (MCT) when the tumor markers (eg, calcitonin and carcino embryonic antigen [CEA]) are raised postoperatively (PET with FDG, 68Ga-DOTA-NOC/TATE, FDOPA). Both are examples of management personalization, where PET-computed tomography (CT) has been found substantially useful in detecting sites of metastatic disease and making decision with regard to feasibility and planning of surgery on an individual patient basis. (2) The next important area of management personalization is in patients of TENIS with metastatic disease not amenable to surgery through examining FDG-PET findings in tandem with radio iodine scan and 68Ga-DOTA-TATE/NOC PET/CT. Heterogeneous behavior of the metastatic lesions is frequently observed clinically: analyzing the findings of three studies aids in sub-segmenting patients into subgroups and thereby deciding upon the best approach (observation with LT4 suppression vs PRRT vs tyrosine kinase inhibitors) that could be individualized in a given case. (3) In metastatic/inoperable MCT, 68Ga-DOTA-TATE/NOC PET-CT helps in deciding upon feasibility of targeted PRRT in an individual patient and helps in follow-up and response evaluation. (4) Disease prognostification with FDG-PET is evolving both in DTC and MCT, where FDG avidity would indicate an aggressive biology, though the implication of this from treatment viewpoint is unclear at this point. Conversely, a negative FDG-PET in DTC and TENIS would suggest a favorable prognosis in an individual. (5) Iodine-124 PET/CT has the added potential of obtaining lesional dosimetry compared to the SPECT approach, and could help in selecting appropriate doses on an individual basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandip Basu
- Radiation Medicine Centre, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Tata Memorial Hospital Annexe, Jerbai Wadia Road, Parel, Bombay 400 012, India.
| | - Rahul Vithalrao Parghane
- Radiation Medicine Centre, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Tata Memorial Hospital Annexe, Jerbai Wadia Road, Parel, Bombay 400 012, India
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Leboulleux S, Tuttle RM, Pacini F, Schlumberger M. Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: time to shift from surgery to active surveillance? Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2016; 4:933-942. [PMID: 27550849 DOI: 10.1016/s2213-8587(16)30180-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Revised: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The incidence of differentiated thyroid cancer is increasing greatly in high-income countries. Roughly 50% of this increase is attributable to the identification of intrathyroidal papillary thyroid microcarcinomas. Since mortality associated with these tumours remains low and stable, the increasing diagnosis has led to concerns about overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Management of papillary thyroid microcarcinomas should take into account the reported absence of mortality when diagnosed in the absence of lymph node metastases and distant metastases, as shown even in recent studies promoting active surveillance; a low recurrence rate of 1-5%; and the risk of permanent complications from surgery that cannot be decreased to less than 1-3%, even in high-volume tertiary care centres with experienced surgeons. On the basis of these data, active surveillance with curative intent, in which active treatment is delayed until the cancer shows signs of significant progression to avoid side-effects of treatment, should be considered in properly selected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Leboulleux
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrine Oncology, Gustave Roussy and Université Paris Saclay, Villejuif, France.
| | - R Michael Tuttle
- Endocrinology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY, USA
| | - Furio Pacini
- Section of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Martin Schlumberger
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrine Oncology, Gustave Roussy and Université Paris Saclay, Villejuif, France
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Lovinfosse P, Koopmansch B, Lambert F, Jodogne S, Kustermans G, Hatt M, Visvikis D, Seidel L, Polus M, Albert A, Delvenne P, Hustinx R. (18)F-FDG PET/CT imaging in rectal cancer: relationship with the RAS mutational status. Br J Radiol 2016; 89:20160212. [PMID: 27146067 DOI: 10.1259/bjr.20160212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Treating metastatic colorectal cancer with anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies is recommended only for patients whose tumour does not harbour mutations of KRAS or NRAS. The aim of this study was to investigate the biology of rectal cancers and specifically to evaluate the relationship between fluorine-18 fludeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) intensity and heterogeneity parameters and their mutational status. METHODS 151 patients with newly diagnosed rectal cancer were included in this retrospective study. All patients underwent a baseline (18)F-FDG PET/CT within a median time interval of 27 days of tumour tissue sampling, which was performed before any treatment. Standardized uptake values (SUVs), volume-based parameters and texture analysis were studied. We retrospectively performed KRAS genotyping on codons 12, 13, 61, 117 and 146, NRAS genotyping on codons 12, 13 and 61 and BRAF on codon 600. Associations between PET/CT parameters and the mutational status were assessed using univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS 83 (55%) patients had an RAS mutation: 74 KRAS and 9 NRAS, while 68 patients had no mutation (wild-type tumours). No patient had BRAF mutation. First-order features based on intensity histogram analysis were significantly associated with RAS mutations: maximum SUV (SUVmax) (p-value = 0.002), mean SUV (p-value = 0.006), skewness (p-value = 0.049), SUV standard deviation (p-value = 0.001) and SUV coefficient of variation (SUVcov) (p-value = 0.001). Both SUVcov and SUVmax showed an area under the curve of 0.65 with sensitivity of 56% and 69%, respectively, and specificity of 64% and 52%, respectively. None of the volume-based (metabolic tumour volume and total lesion glycolysis), nor local or regional textural features were associated with the presence of RAS mutations. CONCLUSION Although rectal cancers with KRAS or NRAS mutations display a significantly higher glucose metabolism than wild-type cancers, the accuracy of the currently proposed quantitative metrics extracted from (18)F-FDG PET/CT is not sufficiently high for playing a meaningful clinical role. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE RAS-mutated rectal cancers have a significantly higher glucose metabolism. However, the accuracy of (18)F-FDG PET/CT quantitative metrics is not as such as the technique could play a clinical role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Lovinfosse
- 1 Nuclear Medicine and Oncological Imaging Division, Medical Physics Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Benjamin Koopmansch
- 2 Center for Human Genetic, Molecular Haemato-Oncology Unit, UniLab Lg, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Frederic Lambert
- 2 Center for Human Genetic, Molecular Haemato-Oncology Unit, UniLab Lg, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Sébastien Jodogne
- 3 Department of Medical Physics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Gaelle Kustermans
- 4 Department of Pathology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Mathieu Hatt
- 5 LaTIM, INSERM UMR 1101, IBSAM, University of Brest, France
| | | | - Laurence Seidel
- 6 Department of Biostatistics and Medico-economic Information, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Marc Polus
- 7 Department of Gastro-enterology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Belgium
| | - Adelin Albert
- 6 Department of Biostatistics and Medico-economic Information, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Philippe Delvenne
- 4 Department of Pathology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Roland Hustinx
- 1 Nuclear Medicine and Oncological Imaging Division, Medical Physics Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Liège, Belgium
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