title: 18FDG-Positron emission tomography for the early prediction of response in advanced soft tissue sarcoma treated with imatinib mesylate (Glivec).
abstract: Imatinib mesylate (Glivec, formerly STI571) is the first effective systemic treatment for gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs). Major changes in tumour volume, however, tend to occur late after the start of treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate if [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) can be used for the early evaluation of response to imatinib mesylate treatment in soft-tissue sarcomas (STS). 21 patients (17 GIST, 4 other STS) underwent FDG-PET imaging prior to and 8 days after the start of treatment. PET response (European Organization for Research and Treatment (EORTC) guidelines) was observed in 13 GISTs (11 Complete Responders, 2 partial responders. Subsequent computerised tomography (CT) response Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST) was observed in 10 of these patients after a median follow up of 8 weeks. Stable or progressive disease was observed on PET in 8 patients and none of them achieved a response on CT. PET response was also associated with a longer progression-free survival (PFS) (92% versus 12% at 1 year, P=0.00107). We conclude that FDG-PET is an early and sensitive method to evaluate an early response to imatinib treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, UZ Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium. sigrid.stroobants@uz.kulueven.ac.be
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stroobants
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goeminne
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seegers
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dimitrijevic
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dupont
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nuyts
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martens
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: van den Borne
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sciot
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dumez
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Silberman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mortelmans
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Oosterom
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate