title: FDG-PET after two cycles of chemotherapy predicts treatment failure and progression-free survival in Hodgkin lymphoma.
abstract: Risk-adapted lymphoma treatment requires early and accurate assessment of prognosis. This investigation prospectively assessed the value of positron emission tomography with 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG-PET) after two cycles of chemotherapy for prediction of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Seventy-seven consecutive, newly diagnosed patients underwent FDG-PET at staging, after two and four cycles of chemotherapy, and after completion of chemotherapy. Median follow-up was 23 months. After two cycles of chemotherapy, 61 patients had negative FDG-PET scans and 16 patients had positive scans. Eleven of 16 FDG-PET-positive patients progressed and 2 died. Three of 61 FDG-PET-negative patients progressed; all were alive at latest follow-up. Survival analyses showed strong associations between early FDG-PET after two cycles and PFS (P < .001) and OS (P < .01). For prediction of PFS, interim FDG-PET was as accurate after two cycles as later during treatment and superior to computerized tomography (CT) at all times. In regression analyses, early interim FDG-PET was stronger than established prognostic factors. Other significant prognostic factors were stage and extranodal disease. Early interim FDG-PET is a strong and independent predictor of PFS in HL. A positive early interim FDG-PET is highly predictive of progression in patients with advanced-stage or extranodal disease.
authors.affiliation: PET and Cyclotron Unit, Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, 9, Blegdamsvej, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. martin.hutchings@rh.hosp.dk
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hutchings
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loft
authors.forename: Mads
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Lars Møller
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Thora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Buhl
authors.forename: Jesper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jurlander
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buus
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keiding
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Amore
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Boesen
authors.forename: Anne Kiil
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Berthelsen
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Specht
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18