FDG uptake in primary squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The relationship between overexpression of glucose transporters and hexokinases, tumour proliferation and apoptosis.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed at assessing the relationship between over-expression of glucose transporters and hexokinases, tumour proliferation and apoptosis corrected for cellularity and partial volume corrected (pvc) FDG SUV values in primary squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (pSCCHN).


METHODS
In 27 consecutive patients suffering from pSCCHN, FDG SUVmax and mean pvc values of the primary tumour were derived from a pre-surgical routine staging FDG PET/CT examination. GLUT-1, GLUT-3, HK-1, HK-3 expression, tumour proliferation (Ki-67 staining) and the number of apoptotic cells (cleaved caspase-3 staining), corrected for tumour cellularity, were subsequently assessed on the corresponding post-surgically obtained biopsies and tumour specimens. FDG SUVmax and mean pvc values of pSCCHN were correlated with the corresponding histological findings.


RESULTS
FDG SUV max and mean pvc values correlated significantly: with GLUT-1 scores r = 0.408 (p = 0.04) and r = 0.439 (p = 0.03) as well as with the number of apoptotic cells r = 0.529 (p = 0.008) and r = 0.484 (p = 0.017). The number of apoptotic cells also correlated to GLUT-3 scores: r = 0.62 (p = 0.001) and GLUT-1 scores r = 0.528 (p = 0.008).


CONCLUSIONS
FDG SUV pvc proved significantly related to GLUT-1 expression by tumour cells and to the absolute number of apoptotic cells. The latter finding warrants further exploration and confirmation by additional studies.
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000-B Gent, Belgium. Philippe.Deron@ugent.be
P
P
Deron
C
C
Vangestel
I
I
Goethals
A
A
De Potter
M
M
Peeters
H
H
Vermeersch
C
C
Van de Wiele
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D051246:Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative / Q000378:metabolism*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D006593:Hexokinase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D015854:Up-Regulation; D055815:Young Adult
D051246:Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006593:Hexokinase