title: F-FDG PET Imaging in the Evaluation of Treatment Response to New Chemotherapies beyond Imatinib for Patients with Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors.
abstract: Aim. (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)F-FDG PET) is a powerful tool for staging and defining "good responders" to chemotherapy in tumor setting. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are sarcoma involving gastrointestinal tract and may require a chemotherapy including imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor agent. Some GIST patients become refractory to imatinib; therefore, other tyrosine kinase inhibitors or concomitant chemotherapy may be considered for treatment. The aim of this paper is to assess if (18)F-FDG PET imaging is a useful tool to evaluate treatment response to new chemotherapies beyond imatinib for GIST patients. Methods. We performed a review of the literature about the role of (18)F-FDG PET in the evaluation of treatment response to new chemotherapies beyond imatinib for GIST patients. Results and Conclusions. (18)F-FDG PET seems to be able to assess therapy response earlier than computed tomography (CT) imaging in imatinib refractory GIST patients treated with other agents. However, a dual modality PET-CT imaging is recommendable to achieve a better detection of all lesions.
authors: Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Gemelli, 8, 00168 Rome, Italy.
authors: Antonella
authors: A
authors: Stefanelli
authors: Giorgio
authors: G
authors: Treglia
authors: Paoletta
authors: P
authors: Mirk
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Muoio
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Giordano