Monitoring of Early Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Stage II and III Breast Cancer by [18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography

Abstract
Purpose This study aimed to assess prospectively the efficacy of sequential [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) to evaluate early response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in stage II and III breast cancer patients. Patients and Methods Images were acquired with a PET/computed tomography scanner in 64 patients after administration of FDG (5 MBq/kg) at baseline and after the first, second, third, and sixth course of chemotherapy. Ultrasound and mammography were used to assess tumor size. Decrease in the standardized uptake value (SUV) with PET was compared with the pathologic response. Results Surgery was performed after six courses of chemotherapy and pathologic analysis revealed gross residual disease in 28 patients and minimal residual disease in 36 patients. Although SUV data did not vary much in nonresponders (based on pathology findings), they decreased markedly to background levels in 94% (34 of 36) of responders. When using 60% of SUV at baseline as the cutoff value, the sensi...

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