Preoperative PET/CT FDG standardized uptake value of pelvic lymph nodes as a significant prognostic factor in patients with uterine cervical cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Using integrated PET/CT, we evaluated the prognostic relevance in uterine cervical cancer of preoperative pelvic lymph node (LN) [(18)F]FDG uptake.


METHODS
Patients with FIGO stage IB to IIA uterine cervical cancer were imaged with FDG PET/CT before radical surgery. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to examine the relationship between recurrence and the FDG maximum standardized uptake value (SUV(max)) in the pelvic LN (SUVLN) on PET/CT.


RESULTS
Clinical data, treatment modalities, and results in 130 eligible patients were reviewed. The median postsurgical follow-up was 34 months (range 6 to 109 months). Receiver operating characteristic analysis identified SUVLN 2.36 as the most significant cut-off value for predicting recurrence. SUV(LN) was correlated with SUV(tumour) (P = 0.002), primary tumour size (P = 0.004), and parametrial invasion (P = 0.013). Univariate analyses showed significant associations between recurrence and SUV(LN) (P = 0.001), SUV(tumour) (P = 0.007), pelvic LN metastasis (P = 0.002), parametrial invasion (P < 0.001), primary tumour size (P = 0.007), suspected LN metastasis on MRI (P = 0.024), and FIGO stage (P = 0.026). Multivariate analysis identified SUV(LN) (P = 0.013, hazard ratio, HR, 4.447, 95 % confidence interval, CI, 1.379 – 14.343) and parametrial invasion (P = 0.013, HR 6.728, 95 % CI 1.497 – 30.235) as independent risk factors for recurrence. Patients with SUV(LN) ≥ 2.36 and SUV(LN) <2.36 differed significantly in terms of recurrence (HR 15.20, P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative pelvic LN FDG uptake showed a strong significant association with uterine cervical cancer recurrence.
Hyun Hoon
HH
Chung
Gi Jeong
GJ
Cheon
Keon Wook
KW
Kang
Jae Weon
JW
Kim
Noh-Hyun
NH
Park
Yong Sang
YS
Song
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D010388:Pelvis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D057234:Preoperative Period; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18