Prognostic value of [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomographic scanning in patients with thyroid cancer Journal Article


Authors: Wang, W.; Larson, S. M.; Fazzari, M.; Tickoo, S. K.; Kolbert, K.; Sgouros, G.; Yeung, H.; Macapinlac, H.; Rosai, J.; Robbins, R. J.
Article Title: Prognostic value of [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomographic scanning in patients with thyroid cancer
Abstract: Poorly differentiated thyroid cancer lesions often lose the ability to concentrate radioactive [131I]iodine (RAI) and exhibit increased metabolic activity, as evidenced by enhanced glucose uptake. We incorporated [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) scanning into the routine follow-up of a cohort of thyroid cancer patients undergoing annual evaluations. One hundred and twenty-five patients who had previous thyroidectomies were included. They had diagnostic RAI whole body scans, serum thyroglobulin measurements, and additional imaging studies as clinically indicated. During 41 months of follow-up, 14 patients died. Univariate analysis demonstrated that survival was reduced in those with age over 45 yr, distant metastases, PET positivity, high rates of FDG uptake, and high volume of the FDG-avid disease (>125 mL). Survival did not correlate with gender, RAI uptake, initial histology, or grade. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the single strongest predictor of survival was the volume of FDG-avid disease. The 3-yr survival probability of patients with FDG volumes of 125 mL or less was 0.96 (95% confidence interval, 0.91, 1.0) compared with 0.18 (95% confidence interval, 0.04, 0.85) in patients with FDG volume greater than 125 mL. Only 1 death (of leukemia) occurred in the PET-negative group (n = 66). Of the 10 patients with distant metastases and negative PET scans, all were alive and well. Patients over 45 yr with distant metastases that concentrate FDG are at the highest risk. Once distant metastases are discovered in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma, FDG-PET can identify high and low risk subsets. Subjects with a FDG volume greater than 125 mL have significantly reduced short term survival.
Keywords: survival; adult; cancer survival; controlled study; aged; middle aged; survival analysis; retrospective studies; major clinical study; clinical trial; positron emission tomography; follow up; radiopharmaceuticals; metastasis; age factors; pathology; retrospective study; high risk patient; age; iodine 131; diagnostic agent; radioactive iodine; iodine radioisotopes; diagnostic value; fluorodeoxyglucose f 18; computer assisted emission tomography; fluorodeoxyglucose f18; radiopharmaceutical agent; scintiscanning; multivariate analysis; sex difference; thyroid cancer; thyroid neoplasms; thyroglobulin; thyroglobulin blood level; sex factors; gender; analysis of variance; thyroid tumor; tomography, emission-computed; whole body scintiscanning; iodine 131 uptake test; humans; prognosis; human; male; female; priority journal; article
Journal Title: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 85
Issue: 3
ISSN: 0021-972X
Publisher: Oxford University Press  
Date Published: 2000-03-01
Start Page: 1107
End Page: 1113
Language: English
DOI: 10.1210/jcem.85.3.6458#sthash.js7mduw4.dpuf
PUBMED: 10720047
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Export Date: 18 November 2015 -- Source: Scopus
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MSK Authors
  1. George Sgouros
    146 Sgouros
  2. Juan Rosai
    181 Rosai
  3. Henry W D Yeung
    126 Yeung
  4. Richard J Robbins
    54 Robbins
  5. Melissa J Fazzari
    23 Fazzari
  6. Satish K Tickoo
    483 Tickoo
  7. Katherine S Kolbert
    28 Kolbert
  8. Steven M Larson
    958 Larson
  9. Weiping   Wang
    7 Wang