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Background: In this study, we investigated the correlation between the lymph node (LN) status or histological types and textural features of cervical cancers on F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the imaging records of 170 patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IB-IVA cervical cancer. Four groups of textural features were studied in addition to the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV), metabolic tumor volume, and total lesion glycolysis (TLG). Moreover, we studied the associations between the indices and clinical parameters, including the LN status, clinical stage, and histology. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to evaluate the optimal predictive performance among the various textural indices. Quantitative differences were determined using the Mann-Whitney U test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the independent factors, among all the variables, for predicting LN metastasis. Results: Among all the significant indices related to pelvic LN metastasis, homogeneity derived from the gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) was the sole independent predictor. By combining SUV, the risk of pelvic LN metastasis can be scored accordingly. The TLG was the independent feature of positive para-aortic LNs. Quantitative differences between squamous and nonsquamous histology can be determined using short-zone emphasis (SZE) from the gray-level size zone matrix (GLSZM). Conclusion: This study revealed that in patients with cervical cancer, pelvic or para-aortic LN metastases can be predicted by using textural feature of homogeneity from the GLCM and TLG respectively. SZE from the GLSZM is the sole feature associated with quantitative differences between squamous and nonsquamous histology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigated the correlation of the matrix heterogeneity of tumors on F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) with gene-expression profiling in patients with pharyngeal cancer and determined the prognostic factors for radiotherapy-based treatment outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 57 patients with stage III-IV oropharyngeal or hypopharyngeal cancer who had completed definitive therapy. Four groups of the textural features as well as 31 indices were studied in addition to maximum standard uptake value, metastatic tumor volume, and total lesion glycolysis. Immunohistochemical data from pretreatment biopsy specimens ( Glut1, CAIX, VEGF, HIF-1α, EGFR, Ki-67, Bcl-2, CLAUDIN-4, YAP-1, c-Met, and p16) were analyzed. The relationships between the indices and genomic expression were studied, and the robustness of various textural features relative to cause-specific survival and primary relapse-free survival was analyzed. Results: The overexpression of VEGF was positively associated with the increased values of the matrix heterogeneity obtained using gray-level nonuniformity for zone (GLNUz) and run-length nonuniformity (RLNU). Advanced T stage ( p = 0.01, hazard ratio [HR] = 3.38), a VEGF immunoreactive score of >2 ( p = 0.03, HR = 2.79), and a higher GLNUz value ( p = 0.04, HR = 2.51) were prognostic factors for low cause-specific survival, whereas advanced T stage, a HIF-1α staining percentage of ≥80%, and a higher GLNUz value were prognostic factors for low primary-relapse free survival. Conclusions: The overexpression of VEGF was associated with the increased matrix index of GLNUz and RLNU. For patients with pharyngeal cancer requiring radiotherapy, the treatment outcome can be stratified according to the textural features, T stage, and biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examined genomic factors associated with a reduction in fluoro-2-deoxy- D-glucose (FDG) uptake during positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) for definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with pharyngeal cancer. Methods: The pretreatment and interim PET-CT images of 25 patients with advanced pharyngeal cancers receiving definitive CRT were prospectively evaluated. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUV) of the interim PET-CT and the reduction ratio of the SUV (SRR) between the two images were measured. Genomic data from pretreatment incisional biopsy specimens ( SLC2A1, CAIX, VEGF, HIF1A, BCL2, Claudin-4, YAP1, MET, MKI67, and EGFR) were analyzed using tissue microarrays. Differences in FDG uptake and SRRs between tumors with low and high gene expression were examined using the Mann-Whitney test. Cox regression analysis was performed to examine the effects of variables on local control. Results: The SRR of the primary tumors (SRR-P) was 0.59 ± 0.31, whereas the SRR of metastatic lymph nodes (SRR-N) was 0.54 ± 0.32. Overexpression of HIF1A was associated with a high iSUV of the primary tumor ( P < 0.001) and neck lymph node ( P = 0.04) and a low SRR-P ( P = 0.02). Multivariate analysis revealed that patients who had tumors with low SRR-P or high HIF1A expression levels showed inferior local control. Conclusion: In patients with pharyngeal cancer requiring CRT, HIF1A overexpression was positively associated with high interim SUV or a slow reduction in FDG uptake. Prospective trials are needed to determine whether the local control rate can be stratified using the HIF1A level as a biomarker and SRR-P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the predictive role of pretreatment metabolic volume (MTV) in pharyngeal cancer (PC) patients treated with definitive (chemo) radiotherapy. Methods: This retrospective analysis enrolled 64 patients with PC treated with (chemo) radiotherapy. All patients received pretreatment fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT. Four PET segmentation methods were used, namely applying an isocontour at a standardized uptake value (SUV) of either 2.5 or 3.0 (MTV2.5 and MTV3.0) or using fixed thresholds of either 40 or 50 % (MTV40 %, MTV50 %) of the maximum intratumoural FDG activity. Disease-free survival (DFS) and primary relapse-free survival (PRFS) were examined according to cutoffs of the median values for each MTV and the gross tumour volume (GTVp). Independent prognosticators were identified by Cox regression analysis. Results: With a median follow-up of 24 months, 19 patients died, and 26 patients experienced tumour relapse at primary sites. Multivariate analysis of the DFS showed that MTV2.5 > 13.6 ml was the only predictor of relapse [ p = 0.011, hazard ratio = 2.69, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.25-5.76]. The independent predictor for PRFS was MTV2.5 > 13.6 ml ( p = 0.003, hazard ratio = 3.76, 95 % CI 1.57-8.92), whereas GTVp > 15.5 ml had a marginal impact on PRFS ( p = 0.06, hazard ratio = 3.54, 95 % CI 0.97-11.85). Patients having tumours with MTV2.5 > 13.6 ml had a significantly inferior 2-year PRFS compared with patients who had lower MTV2.5 tumours (39 vs 72 %, respectively, p = 0.001). Conclusion: For PC patients treated with definitive (chemo)radiotherapy, pretreatment MTV2.5 volume achieved the best predictive value for primary recurrence, and the same value was also a prognosticator for DFS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]