title: L-[3-¹⁸F]-α-methyltyrosine uptake by lymph node metastasis is a predictor of complete response to CRT in esophageal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The amino acid positron emission tomography (PET) tracer [(18)F]-3-fluoro-alpha-methyltyrosine ((18)F-FAMT) is known to be highly specific for malignancies. We evaluated the accumulation of (18)F-FDG or (18)F-FAMT in lymph nodes (LN) prior to definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for esophageal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed 30 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. All patients received definitive CRT. The relationship between the accumulation of (18)F-FDG PET or (18)F-FAMT PET in LNs prior to CRT and clinical outcomes was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A correlation was observed between LNs in which most of (18)F-FAMT was accumulated and complete response (CR) rate, but was not for (18)F-FDG. Additionally, for (18)F-FAMT, the CR rate was significantly higher in the LN accumulated lesion ≤ 1 group than in the LN accumulated lesion >2 group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To predict the outcome of definitive CRT in patients with esophageal cancer, it is important to evaluate the LN status.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan msohda@med.gunma-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sohda
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Honjyo
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Keigo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Daigo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ozawa
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigemasa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Naritaka
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sano
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Takehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokobori
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Japan.
authors.forename: Masanobu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukuchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higuchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsushima
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuwano
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D005260:Female; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008781:Methyltyrosines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011379:Prognosis; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: C105991:3-fluoro-alpha-methyltyrosine; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D008781:Methyltyrosines; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
keywords: 18F-FAMT; CRT; esophageal cancer; lymph node metastasis