Postradiation metabolic tumor volume predicts outcome in head-and-neck cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the prognostic value of metabolic tumor volume measured on postradiation (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in patients with head-and-neck cancer.


METHODS
Forty-seven patients with head-and-neck cancer who received pretreatment and posttreatment PET/computed tomography (CT) imaging along with definitive chemoradiotherapy were included in this study. The PET/CT parameters evaluated include the maximum standardized uptake value, metabolic tumor volume (MTV(2.0)-MTV(4.0); where MTV(2.0) refers to the volume above a standardized uptake value threshold of 2.0), and integrated tumor volume. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models were used to test for association between PET endpoints and disease-free survival and overall survival.


RESULTS
Multiple postradiation PET endpoints correlated significantly with outcome; however, the most robust predictor of disease progression and death was MTV(2.0). An increase in MTV(2.0) of 21 cm(3) (difference between 75th and 25th percentiles) was associated with an increased risk of disease progression (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.5, p = 0.0001) and death (HR = 2.0, p = 0.003). In patients with nonnasopharyngeal carcinoma histology (n = 34), MTV(2.0) <18 cm(3) and MTV(2.0) ≥18 cm(3) yielded 2-year disease-free survival rates of 100% and 63%, respectively (p = 0.006) and 2-year overall survival rates of 100% and 81%, respectively (p = 0.009). There was no correlation between MTV(2.0) and disease-free survival or overall survival with nasopharyngeal carcinoma histology (n = 13). On multivariate analysis, only postradiation MTV(2.0) was predictive of disease-free survival (HR = 2.47, p = 0.0001) and overall survival (HR = 1.98, p = 0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
Postradiation metabolic tumor volume is an adverse prognostic factor in head-and-neck cancer. Biomarkers such as MTV are important for risk stratification and will be valuable in the future with risk-adapted therapies.
Murphy
James D
JD
Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
La
Trang H
TH
Chu
Karen
K
Quon
Andrew
A
Fischbein
Nancy J
NJ
Maxim
Peter G
PG
Graves
Edward E
EE
Loo
Billy W
BW
Le
Quynh-Thu
QT
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000532:radiotherapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047368:Tumor Burden; D055815:Young Adult
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18