[18F]-FLT PET to predict early response to neoadjuvant therapy in KRAS wild-type rectal cancer: a pilot study

Eliot T. McKinley, Jennifer M. Watchmaker, A. Bapsi Chakravarthy, Jeffrey A. Meyerhardt, Jeffrey A. Engelman, Ronald C. Walker, M. Kay Washington, Robert J. Coffey, H. Charles Manning

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Object: This pilot study evaluated the utility of 3′-deoxy-3′[18F]-fluorothymidine ([18F]-FLT) positron emission tomography (PET) to predict response to neoadjuvant therapy that included cetuximab in patients with wild-type KRAS rectal cancers. Methods: Baseline [18F]-FLT PET was collected prior to treatment initiation. Follow-up [18F]-FLT was collected after three weekly infusions of cetuximab, and following a combined regimen of cetuximab, 5-FU, and radiation. Imaging-matched biopsies were collected with each PET study. Results: Diminished [18F]-FLT PET was observed in 3/4 of patients following cetuximab treatment alone and in all patients following combination therapy. Reduced [18F]-FLT PET following combination therapy predicted disease-free status at surgery. Overall, [18F]-FLT PET agreed with Ki67 immunoreactivity from biopsy samples and surgically resected tissue, and was predictive of treatment-induced rise in p27 levels. Conclusion: These results suggest that [18F]-FLT PET is a promising imaging biomarker to predict response to neoadjuvant therapy that included EGFR blockade with cetuximab in patients with rectal cancer.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)535-542
Number of pages8
JournalAnnals of Nuclear Medicine
Volume29
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 25 2015
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Cetuximab
  • EGFR
  • F-FLT
  • Rectal cancer
  • Treatment response

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

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