title: Correlation between histological grade and positron emission tomography parameters in cervical carcinoma.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the changes in cervical cancer glucose metabolism for different levels of cellular differentiation. The metabolic activity was measured by standardized uptake value (SUV), SUV normalized to lean body mass, metabolic tumor volume and total lesion glycolysis using fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET). A correlation study of these values could be used to facilitate therapeutic choice and to improve clinical practice and outcome. This study considered 32 patients with diagnosed cervical cancers, at different International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stages. Glucose metabolism was assessed by PET examination, and histological specimens were examined to determine their initial grade of differentiation. A correlation study of these values was evaluated. Histological examination showed that all cases were of squamous cell carcinoma. Regarding the differentiation of the tumor, 19 well- to moderately-differentiated tumors and 13 poorly-differentiated tumors were determined. Negative findings for correlations between metabolic parameters and initial grade of histological differentiation were found, and considering that histological grade has been shown to have no consistent prognostic value in cervical cancer treatment, PET imaging could play a significant role in cervical cancer prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council, Cefalù, I-90015 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mocciaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Cannizzaro Hospital, I-95126 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scollo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council, Cefalù, I-90015 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stefano
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council, Cefalù, I-90015 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gieri
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council, Cefalù, I-90015 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Cannizzaro Hospital, I-95126 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scibilia
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cannizzaro Hospital, I-95126 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cosentino
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cannizzaro Hospital, I-95126 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Murè
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cannizzaro Hospital, I-95126 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baldari
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics, Cannizzaro Hospital, I-95126 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Gabriella
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Sabini
authors.affiliation: Pathology Units, Cannizzaro Hospital, I-95126 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fraggetta
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council, Cefalù, I-90015 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Carla
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gilardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cannizzaro Hospital, I-95126 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ippolito
keywords: cervical cancer; differentiation levels; glucose metabolism; metabolic tumor volume; positron emission tomography imaging