18 F-FDG Metabolic Tumor Volume: Association with Short- and Long-Term Feeding Tube Use in Head and Neck IMRT

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to investigate whether the metabolic tumor volume (MTV) of head and neck primary tumors may be a significant prognostic factor for feeding tube (FT) use and FT dependence. Seventy-nine patients with evaluable primary tumors, pre-therapy FDG-PET scans, treated with definitive intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) ( ± concurrent chemotherapy) for head and neck mucosal cancers were included. MTV was quantified and recorded for the primary lesion using a minimum standardized uptake value (SUV) threshold of 2.0. Patients were recommended prophylactic FT and followed up by a dietician for at least eight weeks of post-radiotherapy. Associations between MTV, dose to swallowing organs at risk, FT use, and FT dependence were analyzed. MTV was positively cor...

from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader https://ift.tt/2PkHock