The Influence of Receptor Expression and Clinical Subtypes on Baseline [18F]FDG Uptake in Breast Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Overview

Journal EJNMMI Res

Date 2023 Jan 23

PMID 36689007

Authors

Cornelis M de Mooij

Roxanne A W Ploumen

Patty J Nelemans

Felix M Mottaghy

Marjolein L Smidt

Thiemo J A van Nijnatten

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: To quantify the relationship between [18F]FDG uptake of the primary tumour measured by PET-imaging with immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of ER, PR, HER2, Ki-67, and clinical subtypes based on these markers in breast cancer patients.

Methods: PubMed and Embase were searched for studies that compared SUV between breast cancer patients negative and positive for IHC expression of ER, PR, HER2, Ki-67, and clinical subtypes based on these markers. Two reviewers independently screened the studies and extracted the data. Standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by using DerSimonian-Laird random-effects models. P values less than or equal to 5% indicated statistically significant results.

Results: Fifty studies were included in the final analysis. SUV is significantly higher in ER-negative (31 studies, SMD 0.66, 0.56-0.77, P < 0.0001), PR-negative (30 studies, SMD 0.56; 0.40-0.71, P < 0.0001), HER2-positive (32 studies, SMD - 0.29, - 0.49 to - 0.10, P = 0.0043) or Ki-67-positive (19 studies, SMD - 0.77; - 0.93 to - 0.61, P < 0.0001) primary tumours compared to their counterparts. The majority of clinical subtypes were either luminal A (LA), luminal B (LB), HER2-positive or triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). LA is associated with significantly lower SUV compared to LB (11 studies, SMD - 0.49, - 0.68 to - 0.31, P = 0.0001), HER2-positive (15 studies, SMD - 0.91, - 1.21 to - 0.61, P < 0.0001) and TNBC (17 studies, SMD - 1.21, - 1.57 to - 0.85, P < 0.0001); and LB showed significantly lower uptake compared to TNBC (10 studies, SMD - 0.77, - 1.05 to - 0.49, P = 0.0002). Differences in SUV between LB and HER2-positive (9 studies, SMD - 0.32, - 0.88 to 0.24, P = 0.2244), and HER2-positive and TNBC (17 studies, SMD - 0.29, - 0.61 to 0.02, P = 0.0667) are not significant.

Conclusion: Primary tumour SUV is significantly higher in ER-negative, PR-negative, HER2-positive and Ki-67-positive breast cancer patients. Luminal tumours have the lowest and TNBC tumours the highest SUV. HER2 overexpression has an intermediate effect.

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