title: Predictive value of early 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) during salvage chemotherapy in relapsing/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) treated with high-dose chemotherapy.
abstract: This retrospective study evaluated whether early 2-[fluorine-18]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) after two cycles of salvage chemotherapy (PET2) could predict survival after high-dose chemotherapy (HDC). Twenty-four Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients were included. PET2 was negative in 58% and positive in 42% of patients. Ninety per cent of patients (9/10) with positive PET2 relapsed after HDC while all but one patient with negative PET2 maintained a complete remission. The 2-year progression-free survival was 93% vs. 10% for patients with negative and positive PET2, respectively (P < 0.001). This study shows that interim PET can predict the outcome after high-dose chemotherapy in HL patients.
authors.affiliation: Oncology and Haematology Department, Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Rozzano (MI), Italy. luca.castagna@humanitas.it
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Castagna
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bramanti
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balzarotti
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sarina
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Todisco
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anastasia
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magagnoli
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mazza
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nozza
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodari
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rinifilo
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiti
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santoro