title: Early prediction of therapy outcome in patients with high-risk soft tissue sarcoma using positron emission tomography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We used 2-deoxy-2-[(18)F]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) to evaluate the FDG uptake in patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Treatment effect was assessed with regard to prediction of therapy outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ongoing evaluation includes 27 patients with high-risk STS receiving chemotherapy consisting of doxorubicin and ifosfamide (AI-G regimen), or etoposide, ifosfamide and doxorubicin (EIA regimen). Patients were examined using PET prior to onset of therapy, and after completion of the first cycle of AI-G and after 2 cycles of EIA chemotherapy, respectively. Restaging according to RECIST was performed after 6 cycles of AI-G or 4 cycles of EIA chemotherapy and served as reference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical outcome of 27 evaluable patients was as follows: 2 patients with no evidence of disease, 7 with partial remission, 14 with stable disease, and 4 patients with progressive disease. A significant difference of the progression-free survival for patients with a decrease in the standardised uptake value (SUV; responders) in comparison to patients with an increase or stable SUV (non-responders) could be demonstrated (p = 0.0187).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On the basis of these data, prediction of chemo-sensitivity of the tumour and moreover of the therapy outcome might be possible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine V, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. mail@berndkasper.de
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kasper
authors.forename: Sascha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dietrich
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dimitrakopoulou-Strauss
authors.forename: Ludwig G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Strauss
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Haberkorn
authors.forename: Anthony D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Gerlinde
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Egerer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005047:Etoposide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005047:Etoposide; D004317:Doxorubicin; D007069:Ifosfamide