Cancers
[18F]FDG PET/CT-Derived Metabolic Characteristics and Tumour-Infiltrating Lymphocytes for Predicting Axillary Response to Neoadjuvant Chemo-(Immuno)Therapy in Clinically Node-Positive Breast Cancer
By Lenaerts M, Kooreman LFS, Adang CCP and 12 others.
Abstract
Background
Accurate axillary response prediction is clinically relevant in clinically node-positive (cN+) breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemo-(immuno)therapy (NAC). This study evaluated the value of [18F]FDG PET/CT-derived metabolic characteristics and tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) to predict axillary pathologic complete response (pCR). Second, the association between [18F]FDG PET/CT-derived metabolic characteristics and TILs was evaluated.
Methods
This retrospective study included cN+ breast cancer patients treated with NAC and axillary surgery from the prospective multicentre RISAS trial (NCT02800317). Baseline [18F]FDG PET/CT-derived metabolic activity of the breast tumour, axillary lymph node metastases (ALNMs), and spleen was assessed, together with TILs measured in the breast tumour and ALNMs. TILs were classified as low (<10%) versus high (≥10%). Associations were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic analysis.