title: Early changes in brain FDG metabolism during anticancer therapy in patients with pharyngeal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The current study aimed to evaluate whether therapy-related changes occurred in brain metabolism at an earlier stage during the course of anticancer therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 14 non-diabetic male patients with newly diagnosed pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. We analyzed the patients' serial brain FDG PET/CT scans by SPM8 to establish whether any therapy-related changes had occurred in brain FDG metabolism, either during or after the course of therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Decreased metabolism was noted during the anticancer therapy, displaying a symmetric pattern involving bilateral basal ganglia and bilateral occipital lobes. The decrease in FDG metabolism in these regions persisted after the anticancer therapy had terminated. However, relative recovery of the metabolism was noted in the bilateral occipital lobes, whereas further deterioration was noted in bilateral basal ganglia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current study revealed that unappreciable changes in brain metabolism can occur during the early course of anticancer therapy, and persist even after therapy has terminated. Although the exact mechanism remains unclear, these changes may be related to the systemic effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy as well as subclinical cancer-related depressive or adjustment mood disorder.
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan; Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan.
authors: Te-Chun
authors: TC
authors: Hsieh
authors: Yu-Chin
authors: YC
authors: Wu
authors: Kuo-Yang
authors: KY
authors: Yen
authors: Shan-Wen
authors: SW
authors: Chen
authors: Chia-Hung
authors: CH
authors: Kao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: Brain FDG metabolism; anticancer therapy; pharyngeal cancer