title: Treatment outcomes of patients with cervical cancer with complete metabolic responses after definitive chemoradiotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to evaluate failure patterns and prognostic factors predictive of recurrences and survival in cervical cancer patients who are treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy (ChRT), who have a subsequent complete metabolic response (CMR) with (18) F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (FDG-PET) after treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The records of 152 cervical cancer patients who were treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy were evaluated. All patients underwent pre-treatment positron emission tomography (PET-CT), and post-treatment PET-CT was performed within a median of 3.9 months (range, 3.0-9.8 months) after the completion of ChRT. The prognoses of partial response/progressive disease (PR/PD) cases (30 patients, 18 %) and CMR cases (122 patients, %82) were evaluated. Univariate and multivariate analysis effecting the treatment outcome was performed in CMR cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow-ups for all patients and surviving patients were 28.7 (range, 3.3-78.7 months) and 33.2 months (range, 6.23-78.7 months), respectively. Four-year overall survival (OS) rate was significantly better in patients with CMR compared to patients with PR/PD (66.9 % vs. 12.4 %, p < 0.001, respectively). Patients with PR/PD had higher maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of primary cervical tumor (26.4 ± 10.1 vs. 15.9 ± 6.3; p < 0.001) and larger tumor (6.4 cm ± 2.3 cm vs. 5.0 cm ± 1.4 cm; p < 0.001) compared to patients with CMR. Of the 122 patients with post-treatment CMRs, 25 (21 %) developed local, locoregional, or distant failure. In univariate analysis, tumor size ≥ 5 cm, 'International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' (FIGO) stage ≥ IIB, and pelvic and/or para-aortic lymph node metastasis were predictive of both overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), while histology was predictive of only OS. In multivariate analysis, tumor size, stage and lymph node metastasis were predictive of OS and DFS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although CMR is associated with better outcomes, relapses remain problematic, especially in patients with bulky tumors (≥ 5 cm), extensive stage (≥ IIB) or pelvic and/or para-aortic lymph node metastasis. These findings could support the need for more aggressive treatment or adjuvant chemotherapy regimens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Adana, Turkey, hcemonal@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Onal
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reyhan
authors.forename: Ozan C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Guler
authors.forename: Ali Fuat
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Yapar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011379:Prognosis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*