Abstract
Purpose: RECIST have limitations when applied to potentially curable locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (PET) scan may be useful in assessing treatment response and predicting patient outcome. Patients and methods: We studied patients with previously untreated stages III-IVb SCCHN treated with primary concurrent chemoradiotherapy on five prospective clinical trials. Response was assessed by clinical exam, computed tomography (CT), and PET portions of combined PET-CT scan ∼8 weeks after completion of chemoradiotherapy.Results: Fifty-three patients were analyzed. Complete response (CR) was demonstrated in 42 patients (79%) by clinical exam, 15 (28%) by CT, and 27 (51%) by PET. CR as assessed by PET, but not as assessed by clinical exam or CT using RECIST, correlated significantly with progression-free status (PFS) (P < 0.0001). The 2-year PFS for patients with CR and without CR by PET was 93% and 48%, respectively (P = 0.0002).Conclusions: A negative PET scan on combined PET-CT after chemoradiotherapy is a powerful predictor of outcome in patients receiving curative chemoradiotherapy for SCCHN. PET-CT is indicated for response evaluation in this setting to improve the accuracy of post-treatment assessment by CT.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 2278-2283 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Annals of Oncology |
Volume | 21 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 2010 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Chemoradiotherapy
- Head and neck cancer
- Objective response
- PET-CT
- RECIST
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Hematology
- Oncology