Correlation between 18F-FDG Positron-Emission Tomography 18F-FDG Uptake Levels at Diagnosis and Histopathologic and Immunohistochemical Factors in Patients with Breast Cancer.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, we aimed to determine the correlation between pretreatment-staging 18F-FDG total body positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) levels and histopathologic and immunohistochemical predictive and prognostic factors in patients with breast cancer.


METHODS
One hundred thirty-nine women with breast cancer who were treated between 2009 and 2015 at our hospital and who had pretreatment-staging PET/CT were included in the study. SUVmaxlevels and histopathologic and immunohistochemical results were compared.


RESULTS
The median age was 48 years (range, 29-79 years). The mean tumor diameter was 33.4 mm (range, 7-120 mm). The histology was invasive ductal carcinoma in 80.6% of the patients. In the univariate analysis, SUVmaxlevels were significantly higher in patients with invasive ductal carcinoma; in patients with a maximum tumor diameter more than 2 cm; patients who were estrogen, progesterone, and combined hormone receptor-negative, triple-negative patients, and in tumors with higher grades (p<0.05). In HER2-positive patients, SUVmaxlevels were higher even if it was not statistically significant. There was no correlation between lymph node metastases and pathologic stage. In multivariate analysis, tumor diameter was an independent factor.


CONCLUSIONS
SUVmaxlevels are correlated with known histopathologic and immunohistochemical prognostic factors. PET/CT could be useful in preoperative evaluation of patients with breast cancer to predict biologic characteristics of tumors and prognosis.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Acıbadem University School of Medicine Acıbadem Adana Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
Gamze
G
Uğurluer
Department of Internal Medicine, Acıbadem University School of Medicine Acıbadem Adana Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
Sinan
S
Yavuz
Clinic of Medical Oncology, Acıbadem University School of Medicine Acıbadem Adana Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
Züleyha
Z
Çalıkuşu
Clinic of Medical Oncology, Acıbadem Adana Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
Ertuğrul
E
Seyrek
Clinic of Nuclear Medicine, Acıbadem Adana Hospital, Adana, Turkey; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Çukurova University School of Medicine, Adana, Turkey.
Mustafa
M
Kibar
Department of Radiation Oncology, Acıbadem University School of Medicine Acıbadem Adana Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
Meltem
M
Serin
Clinic of Pathology, Acıbadem Adana Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
Canan
C
Ersöz
Clinic of General Surgery, Acıbadem Adana Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
Orhan
O
Demircan
18F-FDG; Breast cancer; positron-emission tomography; predictive; prognosis