Predictive markers, including total lesion glycolysis, for the response of lymph node(s) metastasis from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated by chemoradiotherapy.

Background: Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is used to treat cervical lymph node(s) metastatic head and neck cancer patients. Evaluation and treatment of lymph node(s) after CRT is important to improve the prognosis. Methods: Prior to CRT, we determined the TNM stage by visual and imaging examinations. Metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were calculated from the results of fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). After CRT, the patients were divided in two groups-complete response (CR) and non-CR-and their responses were compared with the clinical characteristics. Results: T4, N2b, N2c and TLG ≥18.8 were statistically significant predictive indices before CRT. The odds ratio, 95 % confidence interval and p value were, respectively-T4: 2.73, 1.15-6.51, 0.0230; N2b: 6.96, 1.50-32.3, 0.0132; N2c: 11.80, 2.37-58.50, 0.00258; and TLG ≥18.8: 6.25, 2.17-18.00, 0.000672. Conclusions: TLG was found to be a good predictive factor for metastatic lymph node(s) prior to CRT treatment. After CRT treatment, FDG-PET was found to be highly specific and useful for negative screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]