Young Wha Koh1, Su Jin Lee2, Seong Yong Park3. 1. Department of Pathology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea. 2. Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Ajou University School of Medicine, 206 Worldcup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 16499, Republic of Korea. suesj202@ajou.ac.kr. 3. Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, Republic of Korea. seongyong9556@gmail.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We explored the relationship between preoperative 18F-FDG-PET parameters, tumor necrosis, and microvessel density (MVD) in patients with pulmonary adenocarcinomas. METHODS: A total of 164 patients, who underwent surgical resection for lung adenocarcinoma, were reviewed retrospectively. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), peak SUV corrected for lean body mass (SULpeak), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) values were measured by preoperative 18F-FDG-PET. The extent of tumor necrosis was examined and CD31 expression was evaluated to count the MVD. RESULTS: The SUVmax, SULpeak, MTV, and TLG levels were significantly lower in patients exhibiting no necrosis compared to those with necrosis. When we divided the patients into two groups based on high vs. low PET parameter values, elevated SUVmax, SULpeak, MTV, and TLG values were significantly more associated with partial or diffuse necrosis than were lower values (p < 0.001). A negative correlation was evident between the MVD and SUVmax, MVD and SULpeak, MVD and MTV, and MVD and TLG. Tumor necrosis was correlated with a shorter overall survival (OS) (p = 0.007) and recur-free survival (RFS) (p < 0.001). However, multivariate analysis revealed that necrosis was not of prognostic significance. The SUVmax, MTV and TLG were associated with inferior OS or RFS rates in univariate analysis, however, not in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: High-level FDG accumulation is correlated with tumor necrosis in lung adenocarcinoma.
OBJECTIVE: We explored the relationship between preoperative 18F-FDG-PET parameters, tumor necrosis, and microvessel density (MVD) in patients with pulmonary adenocarcinomas. METHODS: A total of 164 patients, who underwent surgical resection for lung adenocarcinoma, were reviewed retrospectively. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), peak SUV corrected for lean body mass (SULpeak), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) values were measured by preoperative 18F-FDG-PET. The extent of tumor necrosis was examined and CD31 expression was evaluated to count the MVD. RESULTS: The SUVmax, SULpeak, MTV, and TLG levels were significantly lower in patients exhibiting no necrosis compared to those with necrosis. When we divided the patients into two groups based on high vs. low PET parameter values, elevated SUVmax, SULpeak, MTV, and TLG values were significantly more associated with partial or diffuse necrosis than were lower values (p < 0.001). A negative correlation was evident between the MVD and SUVmax, MVD and SULpeak, MVD and MTV, and MVD and TLG. Tumor necrosis was correlated with a shorter overall survival (OS) (p = 0.007) and recur-free survival (RFS) (p < 0.001). However, multivariate analysis revealed that necrosis was not of prognostic significance. The SUVmax, MTV and TLG were associated with inferior OS or RFS rates in univariate analysis, however, not in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: High-level FDG accumulation is correlated with tumor necrosis in lung adenocarcinoma.