FDG-PET/CT Imaging for Evaluating Durable Responses to Immune Check Point Inhibitors in Patients with Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Overview

Journal Cancer Imaging

Publisher Springer Nature

Specialties Oncology
Radiology

Date 2021 Oct 14

PMID 34645517

Citations 8

Authors

Luke S McLean

Karda Cavanagh

Rodney J Hicks

Jason Callahan

Jing Xie

Anthony Cardin

Annette M Lim

Danny Rischin

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: The role of FDG-PET/CT imaging in assessing response to immunotherapy in advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) is unknown. This study compared complete metabolic response (CMR) rates by FDG-PET and RECIST1.1 via CT or MRI in patients on cemiplimab for > 10 months.

Methods: This was a single-centre retrospective study of 15 patients treated with cemiplimab for advanced CSCC who had CT/MRI and FDG-PET/CT at > 10 months to assess metabolic treatment response. The median age was 73 years (range 55-84) and 93% were male. RECIST1.1 and PERCIST1.0 tumor responses were evaluated by blinded readers.

Results: Seventy-three percent (11/15) (95%CI 44.9, 92.2%) achieved a CMR on PET. Of these 11, on RECIST1.1 there was one complete response, 9 partial responses and one stable disease.

Conclusions: In patients on cemiplimab for > 10 months, there was discordance between CR rates on FDG-PET versus RECIST1.1. FDG-PET/CT may have utility for clarifying depth of response in patients treated with immunotherapy for CSCC.

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