Prognostic value of 18-FDG uptake in early stage NSCLC.
BACKGROUND
We assessed whether the standard uptake of 18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18-FDG) in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) differed between stage I and non-stage I tumors.


METHODS
We reviewed 163 patients with NSCLC who underwent surgical lymph node dissection after tumor resection in 2002-2003. Patients with clinical stage I NSCLC who were investigated with preoperative positron emission tomography integrated computed tomography (PET-CT) scans using 18-FDG uptake were included; those with N2 disease were excluded. We reviewed 55 patients with a mean follow-up of 68 months.


RESULTS
We analyzed 36 patients with stage I (Group 1) and 19 patients with non-stage I NSCLC (Group 2; 8 stage II, 7 stage III and 4 stage IV). There were no statistical differences in sex, age, tumor size, histological type, location or tumor differentiation between the groups. Group 1 had lower maximum standard 18-FDG uptake values (SUVmax) than Group 2 (4.9 +/- 2.7 vs. 8.1 +/- 3.8; P = 0.001). Using multiple logistic regression, patients with higher preoperative SUVmax and serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels showed advanced tumor stages postoperatively (SUVmax > 4.7, odds ratio 7.65; CEA > 3.5 ng/mL, odds ratio 8.39). High 18-FDG uptake was significantly associated with reduced median survival (62.69 months for SUVmax < 4.7 and 40.89 months for SUVmax > 4.7).


CONCLUSIONS
High preoperative 18-FDG uptake of tumors was significantly associated with reduced overall patient survival. The SUVmax of the tumor and serum CEA levels demonstrated aggressive tumors and could be helpful preoperatively when considering patients for induction therapy or resection.
Chen
J-C
JC
Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei 114, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Huang
T-W
TW
Cheng
Y-L
YL
Chang
H
H
Tzao
C
C
Huang
W-S
WS
Lee
S-C
SC
D000368:Aged; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D016015:Logistic Models; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018579:Patient Selection; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18