High Prognostic Value of 18F-FDG PET for Metastatic Gastroenteropancreatic Neuro endocrine Tumors: A Long-Term Evaluation

This study aimed to evaluate the long-term prognostic usefulness of F-18-FDG PET for patients with metastatic gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEPNETs). Methods: Thirty-eight patients with metastatic GEPNETs were prospectively enrolled. Initial check-up comprised CT scan, In-111-pentetreotide scintigraphy (SRS), and F-18-FDG PET. Only F-18-FDG PET-positive lesions with a maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) greater than 4.5 or an SUV ratio (SUVmax tumor to SUVmax nontumoral liver tissue, or T/NT ratio) of 2.5 or greater were considered positive for prognosis that is, indicating a poor prognosis. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Factors associated with survival were assessed with univariate and multivariate analyses, using the Cox regression model. Results: Median PFS and OS were significantly higher for patients with a negative F-18-FDG PET finding, with an OS of 119.5 mo (95% confidence interval [CI], 72-infinity), than for patients with a positive F-18-FDG PET finding (only 15 mo [95% CI, 4-27]) (P < 10(-3)). Median PFS and OS were significantly higher for the patient group that had a positive SRS than the group with a negative SRS (P = 0.0002). For patients with a positive SRS, PFS and OS were significantly shorter when the F-18-FDG PET finding was positive: 19.5 mo (95% CI, 4-37) for PFS and 119.5 mo (95% CI, 81-infinity) for OS (P < 10(-8)). In the patient group with a low-grade GEPNET and a positive SRS, PFS and OS were also significantly lower for patients with a positive F-18-FDG PET. At 48-mo follow-up, 100% of patients who had a positive F-18-FDG PET for disease progression (of which 47% were also SRS-positive) were deceased, and 87% of patients with a negative F-18-FDG PET were alive (P < 0.0001). The T/NT ratio was the only parameter associated with OS on multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Overall, F-18-FOG PET appears to be of major importance in the prognostic evaluation of metastatic GEPNET. A positive F-18-FDG PET with an SUV ratio (TINT) of 2.5 or greater was a poor prognostic factor, with a 4-y survival rate of 0%. A positive SRS does not eliminate the need for performing F-18-FDG PET, which is of greater prognostic utility.