title: L-[3-18F]-α-methyltyrosine accumulation as a definitive chemoradiotherapy response predictor in patients with esophageal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  L-[3-(18)F]-α-Methyltyrosine ((18)F-FAMT) has high specificity for malignant tumors on positron emission tomography (PET), and its role and potential usefulness has been previously investigated in operable esophageal carcinoma. We aimed to assess the ability of (18)F-FAMT PET to predict the response of esophageal cancer to definitive chemoradiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed 40 patients with esophageal cancer imaged with (18)F-FAMT PET. The relationship between (18)F-FAMT PET uptake before chemoradiotherapy and clinical outcomes was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The primary tumor was visualized in 95% patients. (18)F-FAMT uptake was significantly positively correlated with lymph node metastasis. The low-(18)F-FAMT accumulation group had significantly higher complete response (CR) rates than did the high-accumulation group. The addition of a lymph node metastasis category with low (18)F-FAMT uptake provides a more precise predictor of CR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (18)F-FAMT uptake prior to treatment is a good predictor of CR rate after CRT for esophageal cancer.
authors: Department of General Surgical Science,Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-39-22, Showa-machi, Maebashi, 371-8511, Japan. msohda@gunma-u.ac.jp.
authors: Makoto
authors: M
authors: Sohda
authors: Hiroaki
authors: H
authors: Honjyo
authors: Keigo
authors: K
authors: Hara
authors: Daigo
authors: D
authors: Ozawa
authors: Shigemasa
authors: S
authors: Suzuki
authors: Naritaka
authors: N
authors: Tanaka
authors: Akihiko
authors: A
authors: Sano
authors: Makoto
authors: M
authors: Sakai
authors: Takehiko
authors: T
authors: Yokobori
authors: Takanori
authors: T
authors: Inose
authors: Tatsuya
authors: T
authors: Miyazaki
authors: Hitoshi
authors: H
authors: Ojima
authors: Tetsuya
authors: T
authors: Higuchi
authors: Yoshito
authors: Y
authors: Tsushima
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Kuwano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D005260:Female; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019805:alpha-Methyltyrosine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019805:alpha-Methyltyrosine
keywords: 18F-FAMT PET; chemoradiotherapy; complete response; esophageal cancer; predictor