Prognostic Value of Volume-Based Metabolic Parameters of

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Nuclear Medicine
• Radiology

Background:

• 18F-FDG PET/CT is a key imaging modality in oncology.
• Metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) are quantitative parameters derived from PET/CT.
• The prognostic significance of these volume-based parameters in uterine cervical cancer requires comprehensive evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis.
• To assess the prognostic value of pretreatment MTV and TLG in uterine cervical cancer.
• To determine the association of MTV and TLG with event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS).

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of PubMed and EMBASE databases up to January 19, 2018.
• Inclusion of studies evaluating pretreatment MTV or TLG as prognostic factors.
• Meta-analysis of hazard ratios (HR) to quantify prognostic value.
• Subgroup analyses to explore heterogeneity.

Main Results:

• Twelve studies with 660 patients were included.
• High MTV and TLG were associated with significantly worse EFS (HRs 5.89-5.82) and OS (HRs 6.62-7.75).
• Prognostic values remained significant in subgroup analyses for EFS (HRs 5.08-7.30 for MTV, 4.80-15.83 for TLG).

Conclusions:

• Volume-based 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters (MTV and TLG) are significant prognostic factors in uterine cervical cancer.
• Elevated MTV or TLG predicts a higher risk of adverse events or death.
• These findings support the use of MTV and TLG in risk stratification for cervical cancer patients.