The evaluation of response to neoadjuvant therapy using ~(18)FDG PET in esophageal cancer

Background and purpose:Neoadjuvant therapy in esophageal cancer is introduced in an effort to improve prognosis.Response assessment is crucial for the treatment of these patients.Currently,FDG-PET seems to be the best available tool for neoadjuvant therapy response assessment in esophageal cancer.The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic value of 18FDG PET for the evaluation of neoadjuvant therapy response in esophageal cancer with a meta-analysis.Methods:All the studies published in the English language for 18FDG PET assessing neoadjuvant therapy response in esophageal cancer in MEDLINE and EMBASE database were collected.Methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated according to the QUADAS quality assessment tool.Pooled sensitivity,specifi city,diagnostic odds ratio and SROC (summary receiver operating characteristic curves) were obtained using statistical software.Results:Thirteen studies included in the meta-analysis fulfilled the inclusion criteria listed in the QUADAS quality assessment requirements.The pooled sensitivity,specifi city and diagnostic odds ratio for 18FDG PET in the evaluation of neoadjuvant therapy response in esophageal cancer were 70.3% (95%CI:64.4%-75.8%),70.1% (95%CI:65.1%-74.8%) and 9.389 (95%CI:3.482-25.319),respectively.The area under the curve and Q* value in SROC were 0.824 4 and 0.757 5.Conclusion:As a no injury imaging test,18FDG PET is valuable for the assessment of neoadjuvant therapy response in esophageal cancer.