OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of combined positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET-CT) in predicting early treatment response at the primary site and in the neck after chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). DESIGN: Retrospective analysis with a median follow-up of 24 months. SETTING: Academic, tertiary referral center. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS: Thirty-one patients who were treated with concomitant intra-arterial CRT underwent PET-CT 6 to 8 weeks after the completion of treatment. Patients with findings on the physical examination, CT, or PET-CT indicative of persistent disease underwent appropriate surgical intervention for pathological assessment. Patients with a complete clinical response were observed with routine follow-up physical examination for disease recurrence. No evidence of disease at least 6 months after the completion of PET-CT was considered confirmation of complete clinical response. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Presence or absence of residual or recurrent disease during the follow-up period was used to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of PET-CT for the primary site and the neck. RESULTS: Assessment of tumor response at the primary site with PET-CT had a sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 83%, 54%, 31%, and 92%, respectively. In patients with pretreatment N1 to N3 disease, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of posttreatment PET-CT were 75%, more than 94%, more than 75%, and 94%, respectively, and the specificity and negative predictive value for patients with pretreatment N0 disease in the neck were 92% and more than 92%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Negative PET-CT findings accurately determine early disease response at the primary site and in the neck. False-positive findings are common at the primary site. Patients with a negative PET-CT finding after the completion of intra-arterial CRT do not require surgical intervention.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of combined positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET-CT) in predicting early treatment response at the primary site and in the neck after chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). DESIGN: Retrospective analysis with a median follow-up of 24 months. SETTING: Academic, tertiary referral center. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS: Thirty-one patients who were treated with concomitant intra-arterial CRT underwent PET-CT 6 to 8 weeks after the completion of treatment. Patients with findings on the physical examination, CT, or PET-CT indicative of persistent disease underwent appropriate surgical intervention for pathological assessment. Patients with a complete clinical response were observed with routine follow-up physical examination for disease recurrence. No evidence of disease at least 6 months after the completion of PET-CT was considered confirmation of complete clinical response. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Presence or absence of residual or recurrent disease during the follow-up period was used to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of PET-CT for the primary site and the neck. RESULTS: Assessment of tumor response at the primary site with PET-CT had a sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 83%, 54%, 31%, and 92%, respectively. In patients with pretreatment N1 to N3 disease, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of posttreatment PET-CT were 75%, more than 94%, more than 75%, and 94%, respectively, and the specificity and negative predictive value for patients with pretreatment N0 disease in the neck were 92% and more than 92%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Negative PET-CT findings accurately determine early disease response at the primary site and in the neck. False-positive findings are common at the primary site. Patients with a negative PET-CT finding after the completion of intra-arterial CRT do not require surgical intervention.
Authors: Shlomo A Koyfman; Nofisat Ismaila; Doug Crook; Anil D'Cruz; Cristina P Rodriguez; David J Sher; Damian Silbermins; Erich M Sturgis; Terance T Tsue; Jared Weiss; Sue S Yom; F Christopher Holsinger Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2019-02-27 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: Jason Y K Chan; Giuseppe Sanguineti; Jeremy D Richmon; Shanthi Marur; Christine G Gourin; Wayne Koch; Christine H Chung; Harry Quon; Justin A Bishop; Nafi Aygun; Nishant Agrawal Journal: Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg Date: 2012-11