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Brown adipose tissue and cancer progression
Katrina Chu1, Stijn A Bos1,2, Corey M Gill1,3
1Division of Musculoskeletal Imaging and Intervention, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Yawkey 6E, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) volume predicts cancer recurrence and mortality. Higher BAT volume on PET/CT scans indicates a greater risk of tumor recurrence or death, independent of patient factors.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Metabolism
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Brown adipose tissue (BAT) plays a role in energy expenditure and thermogenesis.
- The association between BAT and cancer progression is not well understood.
- Assessing BAT activity may offer insights into cancer patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in cancer progression.
- To determine if BAT volume, measured by PET/CT, predicts tumor recurrence or mortality.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 132 cancer patients undergoing F18-FDG PET/CT.
- Quantification of BAT volume using PET-CT Viewer.
- Longitudinal follow-up for tumor recurrence and mortality.
- Cox proportional hazard models to assess associations between BAT volume and outcomes.
Main Results:
- Higher BAT volume was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of tumor recurrence and mortality (p=0.03).
- This association remained significant after adjusting for covariates.
- Median follow-up was 71 months, with 55 events (recurrences/deaths).
Conclusions:
- Brown adipose tissue (BAT) volume, assessed via routine PET/CT, is a significant predictor of tumor recurrence and mortality in cancer patients.
- BAT volume is an independent prognostic factor, unaffected by factors like age, sex, BMI, or tumor type.
- Routine PET/CT imaging can identify patients at higher risk based on BAT volume.
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