title: The role of interim 18F-FDG PET/CT in predicting early response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to prove the diagnostic value of interim 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron-emission tomography combined with computed tomography (PET/CT) scan for predicting pathological complete response (pCR) compared to other factors in neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven patients with breast cancer were included in this retrospective study. They all underwent scheduled neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Patients underwent PET/CT at baseline, mid-point (interim), and preoperatively (after completion of chemotherapy). The metabolic response was calculated as follows: ΔStandardized uptake value (SUV)(%)=(1st SUV(max)-2nd SUV(max))/1st SUV(max) × 100.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The change in SUVmax between baseline and interim PET/CT scans was significantly larger than between interim and preoperative PET/CT scan. An optimal cut-off ΔSUV value of 78.3% was proposed for discriminating patients with pCR from those without pCR. Metabolic CR, defined as a change of SUV(max) greater than the cut-off value, can predict pCR according to univariate analysis (p=0.012; Relative risk (RR)=25.3). Furthermore, metabolic CR was the most powerful factor for predicting pCR than other possible factors according to multivariate analysis (p=0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible to use interim (18)F-FDG PET-CT as an effective method to predict early response in patients with breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Kisoo
authors: K
authors: Pahk
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Seunghong
authors: S
authors: Rhee
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Jaehyuk
authors: J
authors: Cho
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Minhee
authors: M
authors: Seo
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Sinae
authors: S
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Taegyu
authors: T
authors: Park
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Soyeon
authors: S
authors: Park
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Eunsub
authors: E
authors: Lee
authors: Division of Oncology/Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Kyung Hwa
authors: KH
authors: Park
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Ansan, South Korea.
authors: Chulhan
authors: C
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Jae Seon
authors: JS
authors: Eo
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Sungeun
authors: S
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, South Korea choejg@korea.ac.kr.
authors: Jae Gol
authors: JG
authors: Choe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: FDG PET; Neoadjuvant chemotherapy; PET computed tomographic; breast cancer; response