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European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
Published in: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 3/2012

01-03-2012 | Original Article

Assessment of response to endocrine therapy using FDG PET/CT in metastatic breast cancer: a pilot study

Authors: Nina Mortazavi-Jehanno, Anne-Laure Giraudet, Laurence Champion, Florence Lerebours, Elise Le Stanc, Veronique Edeline, Olivier Madar, Dominique Bellet, Alain Paul Pecking, Jean-Louis Alberini

Published in: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging | Issue 3/2012

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this pilot study was to assess whether outcome in metastatic or recurrent breast cancer patients is related to metabolic response to endocrine therapy determined by 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Methods

The study group comprised 22 patients with breast cancer (age 58 ± 11 years, mean ± SD) who were scheduled to receive endocrine therapy. They were systematically assessed by PET/CT at baseline and after a mean of 10 ± 4 weeks for evaluation of response after induction. All patients demonstrated FDG-avid lesions on the baseline PET/CT scan. The metabolic response was assessed according to EORTC criteria and based on the mean difference in SUVmax between the two PET/CT scans, and the patients were classified into four groups: complete or partial metabolic response, or stable or progressive metabolic disease (CMR, PMR, SMD and PMD, respectively). All patients were followed in our institution.

Results

Metastatic sites were localized in bone (n = 15), lymph nodes (n = 11), chest wall (n = 3), breast (n = 5), lung (n = 3), soft tissue (n = 1) and liver (n = 1). PMR was observed in 11 patients (50%), SMD in 5 (23%) and PMD in 6 (27%). The median progression-free survival (PFS) times were 20, 27 and 6 months in the PMR, SMD and PMD groups, respectively. PFS in the SMD group differed from that in the PMR and SMD groups (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Metabolic response assessed by FDG PET/CT imaging in patients with metastatic breast cancer treated with endocrine therapy is predictive of the patients’ PFS.
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Metadata
Title
Assessment of response to endocrine therapy using FDG PET/CT in metastatic breast cancer: a pilot study
Authors
Nina Mortazavi-Jehanno
Anne-Laure Giraudet
Laurence Champion
Florence Lerebours
Elise Le Stanc
Veronique Edeline
Olivier Madar
Dominique Bellet
Alain Paul Pecking
Jean-Louis Alberini
Publication date
01-03-2012
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging / Issue 3/2012
Print ISSN: 1619-7070
Electronic ISSN: 1619-7089
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-011-1981-z

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