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Measuring response to chemotherapy in locally advanced breast cancer: methodological considerations

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Abstract

In this review the findings of response monitoring studies in breast cancer, using [18F]2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) and positron emission tomography (PET), are summarised. These studies indicate that there is a strong relationship between response and decrease in FDG signal even at an early stage of therapy. The review concentrates on methodological aspects of monitoring response with FDG: timing of serial scans, approach to region of interest definition, method of quantification and pitfalls of FDG. It is argued that, for clinical applications, there is now a need to standardise methodology. This would be necessary to establish firm cut-off values for discriminating responders from non-responders, which in turn would provide a means for providing optimal treatment for as many patients as possible.

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  1. Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Research, VU University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Nanda C. Krak, Otto S. Hoekstra & Adriaan A. Lammertsma

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  1. Nanda C. Krak
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  2. Otto S. Hoekstra
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Krak, N.C., Hoekstra, O.S. & Lammertsma, A.A. Measuring response to chemotherapy in locally advanced breast cancer: methodological considerations. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 31 (Suppl 1), S103–S111 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-004-1532-y

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