Assessment of factors influencing FDG uptake in non-small cell lung cancer on PET/CT by investigating histological differences in expression of glucose transporters 1 and 3 and tumour size.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to evaluate the major factors influencing on FDG uptake in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by investigating histological difference in the expression of glucose transporters 1 and 3 (Glut-1 and Glut-3) and tumour size.


METHODS
This study enrolled 32 patients including 9 with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 23 with adenocarcinoma (AC). The AC cases comprised 16 AC with mixed subtypes (AC-mixed) and 7 localized AC in situ (localized bronchioloalveolar carcinoma). Partial volume effect corrected maximum standardized uptake values (cSUVmax) and tumour size were obtained using FDG PET/CT. Glut-1 and Glut-3 expression were evaluated using five-point grading scales.


RESULTS
Overexpression of Gluts was observed at high rates (88% for Glut-1 and 97% for Glut-3). They were mutually correlated. cSUVmax showed better correlation with size than with Gluts overexpression. AC and SCC showed a high positive expression rate for both Glut-1 and Glut-3, although the degree of overexpression was significantly higher in SCC than AC. In addition, localized AC in situ revealed a considerably higher positive expression rate and similar degrees of overexpression for both Glut-1 and Glut-3 compared with AC-mixed. By contrast, localized AC in situ alone was significantly smaller in both cSUVmax and size than either SCC or AC-mixed. No significant difference was found in cSUVmax or size between SCC and AC-mixed.


CONCLUSIONS
The FDG uptake of NSCLC might be dependent on size rather than on overexpression of Glut-1 or Glut-3. Low FDG uptake in localized AC in situ might result from its small size rather than Glut overexpression.
Suzawa
Naohisa
N
Department of Radiology, Mie University School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan. n-suzawa@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp
Ito
Morihiro
M
Qiao
Shanlou
S
Uchida
Katsunori
K
Takao
Motoshi
M
Yamada
Tomomi
T
Takeda
Kan
K
Murashima
Shuichi
S
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D027342:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D051274:Glucose Transporter Type 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D047368:Tumor Burden
D027342:Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2; D051274:Glucose Transporter Type 3; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18