title: 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography for predicting tumor response to radiochemotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in predicting tumor response to radiochemotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
  
  
  METHODS
  From July 2012 to March 2014, 46 NPC patients who had undergone PET scanning before receiving definitive intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatment in our hospital were enrolled. Factors potentially affecting tumor response to treatment were studied by multiple logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After radiochemotherapy, 32 patients had a clinical complete response (CR), making the CR rate 69.6%. Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the maximal standard uptake value (SUV max) of the primary tumor was the only factor related to tumor response (p = 0.001), and that the logistic model had a high positive predictive value (90.6%). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.809, with a best cutoff threshold at 10.05. Patients with SUV max ≤ 10 had a higher CR rate than those with SUV max > 10 (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SUV max of the primary tumor before treatment is an independent predictor of tumor response in NPC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology and Chemotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No. 2 Fuxue Street, 325000, Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Hangping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Ruifang
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Xuebang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Changlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18