Standardized Uptake Value on F-FDG PET/CT as a Prognostic Factor for Survival of Women with Malignant Uterine Tumors: A Meta-Analysis.
BACKGROUND
Malignant uterine tumors are crucial in the evaluation of prognosis and the determination of therapeutic strategy.


OBJECTIVE
This meta-analysis of the available literature aimed to investigate the prognostic value of standardized uptake value (SUV) on fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography with computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) in uterine malignancies before treatment.


METHODS
The PubMed, MEDLINE and EMBASE databases (1990 to February 2014) were searched to identify studies evaluating SUV on18F-FDG PET/CT as a prognostic tool for predicting long-term survival in patients with carcinomas of the uterus. The χ2test and the I2index were used to estimate heterogeneity among the trials selected in the meta-analysis. The combined hazard ratio was calculated by using a fixed- or random-effects model according to heterogeneity.


RESULTS
Thirteen studies with a total of 1,196 patients were eligible for analysis. High pretreatment SUVmaxwas significantly associated with poorer event-free survival and overall survival, and the summarized hazard ratio was 3.33 (95% confidence interval 2.34-4.74) and 1.31 (95% confidence interval 1.03-1.67), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The present evidence indicates that SUV on18F-FDG PET/CT seems to be a valuable prognostic indicator for survival of patients with malignant uterine tumors. Given that18F-FDG PET/CT can provide both morphologic and functional information, we suggest utilizing PET/CT and its quantitative marker in uterine malignancies before treatment. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P.R. China.
Yifan
Y
Pan
Yongliang
Y
Yao
Yubo
Y
Ma