Comparison of changes in tumor metabolic activity and tumor size during chemotherapy of adenocarcinomas of the esophagogastric junction.
We evaluated the temporal relationship between chemotherapy-induced changes in tumor glucose use and tumor size.


METHODS
Twenty patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) were studied by 18F-FDG PET and CT scans before neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 14 d after the initiation of therapy, and 4 wk after the completion of therapy.


RESULTS
The relative change in 18F-FDG uptake was more than 2 times larger than the decrease in tumor size at all time points (P<0.01). At 14 d after the initiation of chemotherapy, there was no correlation between the reduction in 18F-FDG uptake and tumor wall thickness. The change in 18F-FDG uptake after 14 d of therapy was significantly correlated with the reduction in tumor size after the completion of therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
In AEG, changes in tumor metabolism are a more sensitive parameter for assessing the effects of chemotherapy than are changes in tumor size. Early changes in metabolic activity predict the subsequent reduction in tumor size.
Wieder
Hinrich A
HA
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany. h@wieder.de
Beer
Ambros J
AJ
Lordick
Florian
F
Ott
Katja
K
Fischer
Michael
M
Rummeny
Ernst J
EJ
Ziegler
Sibylle
S
Siewer
Jörg R
JR
Schwaiger
Markus
M
Weber
Wolfgang A
WA
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18