Tumour Growth Rate to predict the outcome of patients with Neuroendocrine Tumours : Performance and sources of variability

• INTRODUCTION: Tumor growth rate (TGR), percentage of change in tumor volume/month, has been previously identified as an early radiological biomarker for treatment monitoring in neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) patients. We assessed the performance and reproducibility of TGR 3 months (TGR3m) as a predictor factor of progression-free survival (PFS), including the impact of imaging method and reader variability.METHODS: Baseline and 3-months (±1month) CT/MRI images from patients with advanced, grade 1-2 NETs were retrospectively reviewed by 2 readers. Influence of number of targets, tumor burden and location of lesion on the performance of TGR3m to predict PFS was assessed by uni/multivariable Cox regression analysis. Agreement between readers was assessed by the Lin's concordance coefficient (LCC) and Kappa (KC).RESULTS: A total of 790 lesions were measured in 222 patients. Median PFS was 22.9 months. On univariable analysis, number of lesions (DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: TGR3m is a robust and early radiological biomarker able to predict PFS. It may be used to identify patients with advanced NETs who require closer radiological follow-up.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Cancer och onkologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cancer and Oncology (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)