False-Positive Positron Emission Tomography After Combined-Modality Induction Therapy in a Patient With Newly Diagnosed Early-Stage Bulky Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma

Purpose To investigate whether bone marrow biopsy (BMB) adds useful information to [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) staging in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Patients and Methods Newly diagnosed patients with HL undergoing a pretherapeutic staging that encompasses both PET/CT and BMB were included in this retrospective study. The pattern of skeletal FDG uptake was categorized as uni-, bi-, or multifocal (≥ three lesions). Clinical stage, risk assessment, and treatment plan were determined with and without the contribution of BMB results according to the Ann Arbor classification and the guidelines from the German Hodgkin Study Group. Results A total of 454 patients with HL were included of whom 82 (18%) had focal skeletal PET/CT lesions and 27 (6%) had positive BMB. No patients with positive BMB were assessed as having stage I to II disease by PET/CT staging. BMB upstaged five patients, assessed as being stage III before BMB; none of the 454 patients would have been allocated to another treatment on the basis of BMB results. Focal skeletal PET/CT lesions identified positive and negative BMBs with a sensitivity and specificity of 85% and 86%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values of focal skeletal PET/CT lesions for BMB results were 28% and 99%, respectively. Conclusion A consistent finding of this study was the absence of positive BMBs in PET/CT-assessed stage I to II disease. The omission of staging BMB would not have changed the risk assessment or treatment strategy in this cohort of 454 newly diagnosed patients with HL.

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Predicted Risks of Cardiovascular Disease Following Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy in the UK NCRI RAPID Trial of Positron Emission Tomography–Directed Therapy for Early-Stage Hodgkin Lymphoma

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.21.00408 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. JCO.21.00408

Author(s):

David J. Cutter ◽

Johanna Ramroth ◽

Patricia Diez ◽

Andy Buckle ◽

Georgios Ntentas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Positron Emission Tomography ◽

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Hodgkin Lymphoma ◽

Early Stage ◽

Emission Tomography ◽

Positron Emission ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Involved Field ◽

Involved Field Radiotherapy

PURPOSE The contemporary management of early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma (ES-HL) involves balancing the risk of late adverse effects of radiotherapy against the increased risk of relapse if radiotherapy is omitted. This study provides information on the risk of radiation-related cardiovascular disease to help personalize the delivery of radiotherapy in ES-HL. METHODS We predicted 30-year absolute cardiovascular risk from chemotherapy and involved field radiotherapy in patients who were positron emission tomography (PET)–negative following three cycles of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine chemotherapy within a UK randomized trial of PET-directed therapy for ES-HL. Cardiac and carotid radiation doses and chemotherapy exposure were combined with established dose-response relationships and population-based mortality and incidence rates. RESULTS Average mean heart dose was 4.0 Gy (range 0.1-24.0 Gy) and average bilateral common carotid artery dose was 21.5 Gy (range 0.6-38.1 Gy), based on individualized cardiovascular dosimetry for 144 PET-negative patients receiving involved field radiotherapy. The average predicted 30-year radiation-related absolute excess overall cardiovascular mortality was 0.56% (range 0.01%-6.79%; < 0.5% in 67% of patients and > 1% in 15%), whereas average predicted 30-year excess incidence was 6.24% (range 0.31%-31.09%; < 5% in 58% of patients and > 10% in 24%). For cardiac disease, the average predicted 30-year radiation-related absolute excess mortality was 0.42% (0.79% with mediastinal involvement and 0.05% without) and for stroke, it was 0.14%. CONCLUSION Predicted excess cardiovascular risk is small for most patients, so radiotherapy may provide net benefit. However, for a minority of patients receiving high doses of radiation to cardiovascular structures, it may be preferable to consider advanced radiotherapy techniques to reduce doses or to omit radiotherapy and accept the increased relapse risk. Individual assessment of cardiovascular and other risks before treatment would allow personalized decision making about radiotherapy in ES-HL.

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