Combination of breast imaging parameters obtained from (18)F-FDG PET and CT scan can improve the prediction of breast-conserving surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in luminal/HER2-negative breast cancer.

The luminal/Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 (HER2) negative subtype of breast cancer has low chemo-sensitivity. When neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is indicated in this subtype, before a possible breast-conserving surgery (BCS), it is more reasonable to target tumor shrinkage than complete pathological tumor response. We aimed to identify breast and tumor 18Fluoro-deoxy-glucose (18F-FDG) PET-CT scan imaging features for the early prediction of BCS after NAC in luminal/HER2 negative subtypes of breast cancer. Seventy-seven consecutive women with luminal/HER2-negative breast cancer for whom BCS was initially not feasible and NAC was prescribed, to decrease tumor size before surgery, were included retrospectively. An 18F-FDG PET-CT scan exam was performed before and after the first course of NAC. After NAC, 36% (28/77) of women had a mastectomy and 64% (49/77) underwent BCS. Patients with a mastectomy had lower total breast volume (BVtotal) (p = 0.002), lower decrease in Δmetabolic tumor volume (ΔMTV) (p = 0.03) and lower SUVmax2 (p = 0.05). Using ROC Curve analyses to define the optimal predictive threshold of BVtotal (496 cm3) and ΔMTV (-17.1%), 3 subgroups of women with different odds of BCS after treatment were identified (p = 0.001): low, medium and high probability groups (respectively 29%, 62% and 82%). For patients with Luminal/HER2 negative breast cancer, the combination of the imaging features of the tumor and the mammary gland, obtained with 18F-FDG PET-CT at baseline and after the first cycle of NAC, may allow the physician to evaluate the probability of BCS.

Grapin M ，Coutant C ，Riedinger JM ，Ladoire S ，Brunotte F ，Cochet A ，Humbert O ... -  《-》

Role of (18)F-PET/CT in Predicting Prognosis of Patients With Breast Cancer After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

Breast cancer can be assessed preoperatively and postoperatively using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). We prospectively analyzed the maximum baseline standardized uptake value (SUVmax) derived from FDG PET/CT to predict the outcomes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for breast cancer. We assessed 130 consecutive female patients with primary breast cancer (mean age, 53.9 years) using PET/CT before and after NAC. The SUVmax before (pre-SUVmax) and after (post-SUVmax) NAC and the SUVmax reduction rates (ΔSUVmax) after NAC with sequential anthracyclines and a taxane were assessed to predict the pathologic complete response (pCR) and prognosis. Of the 130 patients, 30 (23.1%) achieved a pCR. The pCR rate of the patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) and triple-negative (TN) breast cancer was 52.8% and 40.0%, respectively. In contrast, only 1.4% of those with estrogen receptor-positive and HER2- cancer achieved a pCR. The post-SUVmax correlated closely with the pCR (area under the curve, 0.700) but not with the pre-SUVmax and ΔSUVmax (area under the curve, 0.414 and 0.589, respectively) in patients with HER2+ and TN breast cancer. The post-SUVmax was associated with the pCR (P = .019), and multivariate analysis selected post-SUVmax as a significant prognostic factor (P = .014). The post-SUVmax correlated significantly with recurrence-free survival and recurrence (P = .026, log-rank test). The SUVmax determined after NAC using FDG PET/CT can predict for the pCR and the prognosis of patients with operable HER2+ and TN breast cancer. In the future, additional chemotherapy will be applied according to the post-SUVmax after standard NAC to achieve a pCR or omit surgery.

Akimoto E ，Kadoya T ，Kajitani K ，Emi A ，Shigematsu H ，Ohara M ，Masumoto N ，Okada M ... -  《-》

Estrogen receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative breast tumors: early prediction of chemosensitivity with (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography during neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

The objective of this prospective study was to evaluate the ability of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) to predict chemosensitivity in patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer. Sixty-four consecutive patients underwent (18)F-FDG PET/CT scanning at baseline and after the second course of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). The evolution (Δ) between the 2 scans of image parameters (maximum standardized uptake value [SUV(max)], SUV(mean), metabolic tumor volume, and total lesion glycolysis [TLG]) was measured. Correlations between early changes in PET-derived parameters and pathologic response observed in surgical specimens after the completion of 8 courses of NAC were estimated with Mann-Whitney U tests. Response prediction on the basis of clinical data, histologic type, or molecular markers also was assessed (Fisher exact test). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to compare the area under the curve (AUC) of each parameter. The best prediction of chemosensitivity was obtained with ΔTLG (-49% ± 31% in nonresponders vs -73% ± 25% in responders; P < .0001). Among the biologic parameters, only negative progesterone receptor status (57% responders vs 31% nonresponders; P = .04) and luminal B subtype (63% responders vs 22% nonresponders; P = .02) were predictive of a pathologic response. ROC analysis resulted in an AUC of 0.81, 0.73, 0.71, and 0.63 for ΔTLG, ΔSUV(max), luminal subtype, and progesterone receptor status, respectively. When patients responded to NAC, the majority of ER-positive/HER2 negative tumors exhibited partial tumor shrinkage; and the PET parameters that combined volume and activity measurements, such as TLG, offered better accuracy for early prediction than the SUV(max). Negative progesterone receptor status and luminal B subtype had weaker predictive power than PET-derived parameters.

Groheux D ，Hatt M ，Hindié E ，Giacchetti S ，de Cremoux P ，Lehmann-Che J ，Martineau A ，Marty M ，Cuvier C ，Cheze-Le Rest C ，de Roquancourt A ，Visvikis D ，Espié M ... -  《-》

18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT after two cycles of neoadjuvant therapy may predict response in HER2-negative, but not in HER2-positive breast cancer.

Cheng J ，Wang Y ，Mo M ，Bao X ，Zhang Y ，Liu G ，Zhang J ，Geng D ... -  《Oncotarget》

FDG PET/CT during neoadjuvant chemotherapy may predict response in ER-positive/HER2-negative and triple negative, but not in HER2-positive breast cancer.

Response monitoring with MRI during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer is promising, but knowledge of breast cancer subtype is essential. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relevance of breast cancer subtypes for monitoring of therapy response during NAC with 18F-FDG PET/CT. Evaluation included 98 women with stages II and III breast cancer. PET/CTs were performed before and after six or eight weeks of NAC. FDG uptake was quantified using maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax). Tumors were divided into three subtypes: HER2-positive, ER-positive/HER2-negative, and triple negative. Tumor response at surgery was assessed dichotomously (presence or absence of residual disease) and ordinally (breast response index, representing relative change in tumor stage). Multivariate regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were employed to determine associations with pathological response. A (near) complete pathological response was seen in 19 (76%) of 25 HER2-positive, 7 (16%) of 45 ER-positive/HER2-negative, and 20 (71%) of 28 triple negative tumors. Multivariate regression of pathological response indicated a significant interaction between change in FDG uptake and breast cancer subtype. The area under the ROC curve was 0.35 (0.12-0.64) for HER2-positive, 0.90 (0.76-1.00) for ER-positive/HER2-negative, and 0.96 (0.86-1.00) for triple negative tumors. We found no association between age, stage, histology, or baseline SUVmax and pathological response. Response monitoring with PET/CT during NAC in breast cancer seems feasible, but is dependent on the breast cancer subtype. PET/CT may predict response in ER-positive/HER2-negative and triple negative tumors, but seems less accurate in HER2-positive tumors.

Koolen BB ，Pengel KE ，Wesseling J ，Vogel WV ，Vrancken Peeters MJ ，Vincent AD ，Gilhuijs KG ，Rodenhuis S ，Rutgers EJ ，Valdés Olmos RA ... -  《-》