Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has emerged as an option for relapsed/refractory aggressive B-cell lymphomas that have failed 2 lines of therapy. Failures usually occur early after infusion. The purpose of our study was to identify factors that may predict failure, particularly early progression (EP), within the first month after infusion. Characteristics of 116 patients were analyzed at the time of decision (TD) to use commercial CAR (axicabtagene ciloleucel, n = 49; tisagenlecleucel n = 67) and at the time of treatment (TT), together with total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV) at TT. With a median follow-up of 8.2 months, 55 patients failed treatment; 27 (49%) were early progressors. The estimated 12-month progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 47.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 38.0-58.6) and 67.0% (95% CI, 57-79), respectively. Univariate analyses for PFS and OS identified Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) ≥2, stage III/IV disease, extranodal (EN) sites ≥2, elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), increased C-reactive protein (CRP), high International Prognostic Index at TD and at TT, as well as increased CRP, bulky mass, and high TMTV at TT, as risk factors. Multivariate analyses for PFS, EP, and OS identified elevated LDH and EN sites ≥2 at TD and the same predictors at TT (ie, increased CRP, EN sites ≥2, and TMTV >80 mL). In summary, risk factors identified for early progression at TD and at TT were EN involvement (≥2 sites) and lymphoma burden (LDH, TMTV).

BackgroundThis study prospectively evaluated the yield of fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18FDG-PET-CT) in patients with clinical stages II and III breast cancer and the impact of PET-CT results on prognosis.MethodsIn the course of 71 months, 254 consecutive patients with clinical stages II and III breast cancer (based on clinical examination, mammography, breast magnetic resonance imaging, and locoregional ultrasonography) underwent 18FDG-PET-CT. The yield was assessed in the whole population and for each American Joint Committee on Cancer subgroup. The prognostic impact of PET-CT findings was analyzed. Tests of statistical significance were two-sided.Results 18FDG-PET-CT changed the clinical stage in 77 of 254 patients (30.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 25.0% to 36.2%). It showed unsuspected N3 disease (infraclavicular, supraclavicular, or internal mammary nodes) in 40 patients and distant metastases in 53. PET-CT revealed distant metastases in 2.3% (1 of 44) of clinical stage IIA, 10.7% (6 of 56) of stage IIB, 17.5% (11 of 63) of stage IIIA, 36.5% (27 of 74) of stage IIIB, and 47.1% (8 of 17) of stage IIIC patients. Among 189 patients with clinical stage IIB or higher disease and adequate follow-up, disease-specific survival was statistically significantly shorter in the 47 patients scored M1 on 18FDG-PET-CT in comparison with those scored M0, with a three-year disease-specific survival of 57% vs 88% (P < .001). In multivariable analysis, only distant disease on PET-CT and triple-negative phenotype were statistically significant prognostic factors. The relative risk of death was 26.60 (95% CI = 6.60 to 102.62) for M1 vs M0 patients.ConclusionsThe yield of 18FDG-PET-CT appeared substantial in patients with clinical stage IIB or higher breast cancer. In these patients, 18FDG-PET-CT provided powerful prognostic stratification.

The prognosis of patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) remains poor. We prospectively investigated the impact of 18 F-FDG PET/CT at initial staging in this clinical setting and compared PET/CT performance with that of conventional distant work-up. Methods: During 60 mo, consecutive patients with LABC (clinical T4 or N2-N3 disease) underwent 18 F-FDG PET/ CT. The yield was assessed in the whole group and separately for noninflammatory and inflammatory cancer. The performance of PET/CT was compared with that of a conventional staging approach including bone scanning, chest radiography, or dedicated CT and abdominopelvic sonography or contrast-enhanced CT. Results: 117 patients with inflammatory (n 5 35) or noninflammatory (n 5 82) LABC were included. 18 F-FDG PET/CT confirmed N3 nodal involvement in stage IIIC patients and revealed unsuspected N3 nodes (infraclavicular, supraclavicular, or internal mammary) in 32 additional patients. Distant metastases were visualized on PET/CT in 43 patients (46% of patients with inflammatory carcinoma and 33% of those with noninflammatory LABC). Overall, 18 F-FDG PET/CT changed the clinical stage in 61 patients (52%). Unguided conventional imaging detected metastases in only 28 of the 43 patients classified M1 with PET/CT (65%). 18 F-FDG PET/CT outperformed conventional imaging for bone metastases, distant lymph nodes, and liver metastases, whereas CT was more sensitive for lung metastases. The accuracy in diagnosing bone lesions was 89.7% for planar bone scanning versus 98.3% for 18 F-FDG PET/CT. The accuracy in diagnosing lung metastases was 98.3% for dedicated CT versus 97.4% for 18 F-FDG PET/CT. Conclusion: 18 F-FDG PET/CT had the advantage of allowing chest, abdomen and bone to be examined in a single session. Almost all distant lesions detected by conventional imaging were depicted with PET/CT, which also showed additional lesions.