Prognostic value of survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with tyrosine-kinase inhibitors: Value of SUVmax or value of other factor?

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the role of 18F-fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) and other factors in prediction of response and survival following epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy in patients with advanced lung adeno-carcinomas and EGFR mutations.

Methods: Patients having a diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging for staging before therapy between November of 2018 and May of 2023 at the Nuclear Medicine and Oncology Centre, Bach Mai Hospital.

Results: 67 patients diagnosed with advanced EGFR-mutated adenocarcinoma, 25 (37.3%) were male, and 42 (62.7%) were female. During the following observation period, there were 42 cases (62.7%) of mortality attributed to cancer. We verified that the remaining 25 patients (37.3%) were still alive when writing this report. The mean SUVmax is 9.12 (±3.81), ranging from 1 to 18. The mean Progression-Free Survival (PFS) is 18.22 months (±13.38), ranging from 0 to 51 months. The mean overall survival (OS) is 27.43 months (±15.773), ranging from 2 to 59 months. SUVmax was not associated with survival status. The area under the curve = 0.624 with p-value =0.092. OS was higher in age < 70 years old and in patients with adverse events. PFS was higher in age < 70 years old and in female patients.

Conclusion: SUVmax was not associated with survival status. OS was higher in age < 70 years old and in patients with adverse events. PFS was higher in age < 70 years old and in female patients.