Scintigraphic prediction of response to chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer: Technetium 99m-tetrofosmin and thallium-201 dual single photon emission computed tomography

Int J Oncol. 2002 Jan;20(1):53-8.

Abstract

We have investigated the usefulness of dual-isotope single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for predicting the response to chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer. Twenty-five patients with breast cancer were analyzed by SPECT using both 99m-technetium-tetrofosmin (99mTc-TF) and 201-thallium-chloride (201Tl). The relationship between response to chemotherapy and retention of each tracer was analyzed. 99mTc-TF retention was significantly higher in responders (42.0+/-37.9) than in non-responders (-11.3+/-34.6) (p=0.003). Ten of 13 patients (76.9%) with high 99mTc-TF retention (>15%) showed good response to chemotherapy, whereas 11 of 12 patients (91.7%) with low 99mTc-TF retention (<15%) did not respond to the therapy. The overall predictability to the response to chemotherapy was 84.0%. 201Tl retention (responders, 47.5+/-60.2% vs. non-responders, 55.8+/-45.0%; p=0.443) was not useful in therapeutic prediction, but was required to identify the lesion on the SPECT image. This is the first report to find that dual-isotope SPECT using 99mTc-TF and 201Tl is useful in predicting the response to chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer. Low 99mTc-TF retention is a strong predictor of therapeutic resistance, and high 99mTc-TF retention suggests a favorable response to chemotherapy.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / diagnostic imaging*
  • Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / drug therapy
  • Cyclophosphamide / administration & dosage
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Doxorubicin / analogs & derivatives
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Organophosphorus Compounds*
  • Organotechnetium Compounds*
  • Prognosis
  • Radiopharmaceuticals*
  • Thallium Radioisotopes*
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Substances

  • Organophosphorus Compounds
  • Organotechnetium Compounds
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Thallium Radioisotopes
  • technetium tc-99m tetrofosmin
  • Doxorubicin
  • Cyclophosphamide
  • pirarubicin