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Imaging proliferation of 18F-FLT PET/CT correlated with the expression of microvessel density of tumour tissue in non-small-cell lung cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to analyse the correlation between 18F-labelled 3′-deoxy-3′-fluorothymidine (18F-FLT) PET/CT proliferation images and tumour angiogenesis as reflected by intratumoral microvessel density (MVD) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to provide a noninvasive method to predict the response to antiangiogenic therapy.

Methods

A total of 68 patients with proven or suspected NSCLC underwent FLT PET/CT scans followed by surgery. PET/CT images were compared with pathology. Tumour proliferation was evaluated in terms of a Ki-67 labelling index (Ki-67 LI). MVD was determined using an anti-CD31 mAb (CD31-MVD), anti-CD34 mAb (CD34-MVD) and an anti-CD105 mAb (CD105-MVD) for each resected tumour.

Results

Tumour FLT maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) were significantly correlated with the Ki-67 LI and CD105-MVD (r = 0.550 and 0.633, P = 0.000 and 0.000, respectively), but were only marginally correlated with the CD31-MVD and CD34-MVD (r = 0.228 and 0.235, P = 0.062 and 0.054, respectively). The FLT PET false-negative patients had a longer median survival time than the FLT PET true-positive patients (log rank test, P = 0.012). The patients with a lower CD105-MVD had a longer median survival time than those with a higher CD105-MVD (P = 0.046), while patients with a lower CD31-MVD and CD34-MVD did not have a longer median survival time than those with a higher value (P = 0.438 and 0.187, respectively).

Conclusion

FLT PET/CT imaging correlated with tumour angiogenesis as reflected by CD105-MVD and prognosis, and may be helpful in assessing antiangiogenic therapy of NSCLC.

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Acknowledgments

The corresponding author states that the authors had full access to the data and will vouch for the integrity of the data analysis. This work was supported by the Research Fund of Shandong Provincial Health Bureau of China (grant 2009HZ088), and by the Research Fund of Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute (No. 2009-11).

Conflicts of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Thoracic Surgery and Shandong Province Medical and Health Key Laboratory of Tumor Surgery, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China

    Wenfeng Yang & Yongming Zhang

  2. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China

    Zheng Fu & Xiaorong Sun

  3. Department of Pathology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250117, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China

    Dianbin Mu

  4. Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jiyan Road 440, Jinan, 250117, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China

    Jinming Yu

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  1. Wenfeng Yang
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Correspondence to Jinming Yu.

Additional information

Wenfeng Yang and Yongming Zhang contributed equally to this work.

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Yang, W., Zhang, Y., Fu, Z. et al. Imaging proliferation of 18F-FLT PET/CT correlated with the expression of microvessel density of tumour tissue in non-small-cell lung cancer. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 39, 1289–1296 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-012-2126-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-012-2126-8

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