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Nuklearmedizin
DOI: 10.1055/a-2365-7808
Original Article

[18F]FDG PET/CT Imaging and Hematological Parameters Can Help Predict HPV Status in Head and Neck Cancer

Paulina Cegla
1   Nuclear Medicine Department, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland (Ringgold ID: RIN175595)
,
Geoffrey Currie
2   School of Dentistry and Health Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia
,
Joanna P Wroblewska
3   Department of Oncologic Pathology and Prophylaxis, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland (Ringgold ID: RIN37807)
4   Department of Tumor Pathology, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland (Ringgold ID: RIN175595)
,
Joanna Kazmierska
5   Department of Electroradiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland (Ringgold ID: RIN37807)
6   2nd Radiotherapy Department, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland (Ringgold ID: RIN175595)
,
Witold Cholewinski
1   Nuclear Medicine Department, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland (Ringgold ID: RIN175595)
5   Department of Electroradiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland (Ringgold ID: RIN37807)
,
Inga Jagiello
3   Department of Oncologic Pathology and Prophylaxis, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland (Ringgold ID: RIN37807)
4   Department of Tumor Pathology, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland (Ringgold ID: RIN175595)
,
Krzysztof Matuszewski
7   Medical Physics Department, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland (Ringgold ID: RIN175595)
,
Andrzej Marszalek
3   Department of Oncologic Pathology and Prophylaxis, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland (Ringgold ID: RIN37807)
4   Department of Tumor Pathology, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland (Ringgold ID: RIN175595)
,
Anna Kubiak
8   Greater Poland Cancer Registry, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland (Ringgold ID: RIN175595)
,
Pawel Golusinski
9   Department of Otolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Zielona Gora, Zielona Gora, Poland (Ringgold ID: RIN49792)
10   Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland (Ringgold ID: RIN37807)
,
Wojciech Golusinski
11   Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland (Ringgold ID: RIN37807)
12   Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
,
Ewa Majchrzak
11   Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland (Ringgold ID: RIN37807)
12   Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland
› Author AffiliationsSupported by: Greater Poland Cancer Centre grant No. 25/2019(229).
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Abstract

Objective To determine whether [18F]FDG PET/CT and hematological parameters provide supportive data to determine HPV status in HNSCC patients.

Methods Retrospective analysis of clinical and diagnostic data from 106 patients with HNSCC: 26.4% HPV-positive and 73.6% HPV-negative was performed. The following semiquantitative PET/CT parameters for the primary tumor and hottest lymph node and liver were evaluated: SUVmax, SUVmean, TotalSUV, MTV, TLG, maximum, mean and TLG tumor-to-liver ratio (TLRmax, TLRmean,TLRTLG) and heterogeneity index (HI). Following hematological variables were assessed: white blood cell (WBC); lymphocyte (LYMPH); neutrophil (NEU),monocyte (MON); platelet (PLT); neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NRL); lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR); platelet-to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR). Conventional statistical analyses were performed in parallel with an artificial neural network analysis (Neural Analyzer, v. 2.9.5).

Results Significant between-group differences were observed for two of the semiquantitative PET/CT parameters, with higher values in the HPV-negative group: primary tumor MTV (22.2 vs 9.65; p=0.023), and TLRmax (3.50 vs 2.46; p=0.05). The HPV-negative group also had a significantly higher NEU count (4.84 vs. 6.04; p=0.04), NEU% (58.2 vs. 66.2; p=0.007), and NRL% (2.69 vs. 3.94; p=0.038). Based on ROC analysis (sensitivity 50%, specificity 80%, AUC 0.5), the following variables were independent predictors of HPV-negativity: primary tumor with SUVmax >10; TotalSUV >2800; MTV >23.5; TLG >180; TLRmax >3.7; TLRTLG >5.7; and oropharyngeal localization.

Conclusion Several semiquantitative parameters derived from [18F]FDG PET/CT imaging of the primary tumor (SUVmax, TotalSUV, MTV, TLG, TLRmax and TLRTLG) were independent predictors of HPV-negativity.

Keywords

positron emission tomography/computed tomography - head and neck cancer - HPV - artificial intelligence - machine learning


Publication History

Received: 01 November 2023

Accepted after revision: 12 July 2024

Article published online:
04 December 2024

© 2024. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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