PERCIST and Hopkins criteria and PET/CT metabolic parameters as prognostic factors in squamous head and neck cancer

Aim: To assess the clinical utility of PERCIST and Hopkins criteria and changes in [18F]FDG PET/CT quan-titative parameters as prognostic factors for progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated by chemoradiotherapy.Material and methods: Forty patients (34 men) diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma were retrospectively assessed over an interval of 8 years. PERCIST and Hopkins criteria were used to assess response to treatment. Variations in the metabolic parameters maximum SUV (ASUVmax), meta-bolic tumor volume (AMTV) and total lesion glycolysis (ATLG) between pre-and post-treatment PET/CT studies were also determined. Cox regression model, ROC curves and Kaplan-Meier method were used for the analysis of prognostic factors and survival curves.Results: The average follow-up was 39.4 months, with 24 progressions and 22 deaths. Both PERCIST and Hopkins criteria and the three metabolic parameters were predictive factors in the univariate analysis and only ASUVmax in the multivariate analysis. Survival analysis showed statistically significant differences in PFS and CSS curves for the five parameters considered.Conclusion: Application of PERCIST and Hopkins criteria as well as ASUVmax, AMTV and ATLG from PET/CT studies proved to be prognostic factors for survival in patients in our setting treated for head and neck cancer. The results could help to personalize treatment.& COPY; 2022 Sociedad Espanola de Medicina Nuclear e Imagen Molecular. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved.