title: (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography immediately after chemoradiotherapy predicts prognosis in patients with locoregional postoperative recurrent esophageal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objectives of this study were to reveal the utility of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) within 7 days after chemoradiotherapy to predict prognosis in patients with postoperative recurrent esophageal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients scheduled to undergo concurrent chemoradiotherapy for postoperative locoregional recurrence of esophageal cancer were recruited. Selection criteria were: (1) locoregional recurrence, (2) no previous radiation therapy, (3) planning treatment with concurrent chemoradiotherapy, (4) FDG-PET performed <2 weeks before chemoradiotherapy, and (5) no serious diabetes. FDG-PET was performed <7 days after chemoradiotherapy. No more treatment after chemoradiotherapy was given until disease progression was diagnosed according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST). Correlations of FDG-PET findings with cause-specific survival and local control rates were investigated prospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty patients were enrolled. Median observation period of patients who survived was 45.0 months. Median maximum standardized uptake value (SUV(max)) after chemoradiotherapy was 2.4, and median SUV(max) before chemoradiotherapy was 8.4. Cause-specific survival and local control rates were significantly better for patients with SUV(max) < or = 2.4 after chemoradiotherapy (log-rank test, P = 0.033 and 0.010, respectively). SUV(max) before chemoradiotherapy tended to be correlated only with cause-specific survival rate (log-rank test, P = 0.076). Change in metabolic activity of FDG was significantly correlated with local control rate (log-rank test, P = 0.042).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FDG-PET performed even <7 days after chemoradiotherapy predicts prognosis in patients with postoperative recurrent esophageal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan. kjingu-jr@rad.med.tohoku.ac.jp
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jingu
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaneta
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nemoto
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Hisanori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ariga
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koto
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakayauchi
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takai
authors.forename: Shoki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Shogo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D016629:Esophagectomy; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18