[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

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.