Interim Fluorine-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography to Predict Pathologic Response to Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy and Prognosis in Patients With Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

摘要

A pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer has been associated with a better prognosis. To assess the role of interim fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in the prediction of a pCR and prognosis, we performed a retrospective study. Of the parameters studied, the post-preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy maximum standardized uptake value and the change in the maximum standardized uptake value were potent predictors for pCR and well associated with overall survival.