Predictive Features of the Positron Emission Tomography PerformedAfter Two Cycles of Inductive Therapy in Malignant Lymphoma Patients

Overview

Background.
Positron emission tomography (PET)is a modern functional imaging method,recently introducedto clinical oncology.The aim of our study was the evaluation of prognostic value of PET performed in malignantlymphoma patients after two cycles of chemotherapy.Methods and Results.From 9/99 to 11/00 PET was performed in 37 patients with malignant lymphoma (9x m.Hodgkin,21x HG+IG-NHL,7x LG-NHL;26x new diagnosis,11x relaps of disease).Freedom from progressioninterval (FFP)and overall survival (OS)were evaluated.Attenuation corrected PET imaging was done by dedicatedECAT EXACT PET scaner from base of the skull to the upper thighs 1 hour after intravenous administration of18-FDG (7.6 ±1.3 MBq/kg).Statistical analysis was done using Kaplan-Meier method.Significance of differencesbetween groups was determined by log-rank test on the level of 5%.After the induction therapy,30 patients were incomplete remission,3 patients in partial remission and in 4 cases progression of disease were observed.Progressionof disease was seen in 4 patients.Median follow up of living patients was 7 months (1 –13 months)from the end oftherapy.Progression,resp.relapse of disease occurred in 13 patients during this period,two patients died.PETperformed after the second course of therapy was positive in 18 patients and negative in 19 patients.Two progressions,resp.relapses of disease were documented in PET-negative group and 11 in PET-positive group.FFP was significantlydifferent in PET positive and PET negative groups (p

Key words:
malignant lymphoma,positron emission tomography (PET),fluoro-deoxy-glukosa (FDG),predictivecapacity of examination.