PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - KEN SASAKI
AU  - YASUTO UCHIKADO
AU  - HIROSHI OKUMURA
AU  - ITARU OMOTO
AU  - YOSHIAKI KITA
AU  - TAKAAKI ARIGAMI
AU  - YOSHIKAZU UENOSONO
AU  - TETSUHIRO OWAKI
AU  - KOSEI MAEMURA
AU  - SHOJI NATSUGOE
TI  - Role of <sup>18</sup>F-FDG-PET/CT in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy
DP  - 2017 Feb 01
TA  - Anticancer Research
PG  - 859--864
VI  - 37
IP  - 2
4099  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/37/2/859.short
4100  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/37/2/859.full
SO  - Anticancer Res2017 Feb 01; 37
AB  - Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the role of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) in predicting pathological response and survival in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT). Patients and Methods: Thirty patients with advanced ESCC received nCRT followed by surgery, and underwent FDG-PET/CT twice before and after nCRT. We compared the results of FDG-PET/CT with the pathological results and prognosis. Results: Pathological response was found to correlate with the maximum standardised uptake value (SUVmax) after nCRT and the rate of decrease of SUVmax. Using univariate analysis, pN, SUVmax after nCRT and the rate of decrease of SUVmax were found to be prognostic factors. Multivariate analysis revealed that only pN was an independent prognostic factor. Conclusion: The prediction of pathological response and prognosis using FDG-PET/CT is not as reliable as pathological detection of lymph node metastasis, but could be a useful method contributing to treatment decisions.