Open AccessPET/CT and the Response to Immunotherapy in Lung Cancer
Author(s) -
Laura Evangelista,
Matteo Sepulcri,
Giulia Pasello
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
current radiopharmaceuticals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.586
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 1874-4729
pISSN - 1874-4710
DOI - 10.2174/1874471013666191220105449
Subject(s) - medicine , immunotherapy , lung cancer , clinical trial , oncology , cancer , melanoma , response evaluation criteria in solid tumors , medical physics , cancer research , phases of clinical research
In recent years, the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors has significantly changed the outcome of patients affected by lung cancer and cutaneous melanoma. Although the clinical advantages, the selection of patients and the evaluation of response to immunotherapy remain unclear, the immune-related Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumor (irRECIST) was proposed as an update of the RECIST criteria for the assessment of response to immunotherapy. However, morphological images cannot predict early response to therapy that represents a challenge in clinical practice. 18F-FDG PET/CT before and after immunotherapy has an indeterminate role, demonstrating ambiguous results due to inflammatory effects secondary to activation of the immune system. The aim of the present review was to analyze the role of PET/CT as a guide for immunotherapy, by analyzing the current status and future perspectives.