Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and the prognosis of pancreatic carcinoma

Background: Pancreatic carcinoma is associated with a poor prognosis. The a im of this study was to determine whether glucose metabolism in pancreatic cancer has prognostic significance for patients suffering from this disease . Methods: The survival data of 52 patients with pancreatic carcinoma was c orrelated with the standardized uptake value (SUV) as a semiquantitative pa rameter of glucose metabolism, as determined with fluorodeoxyglucose positr on emission tomography (FDG PET). A multivariate analysis, including SW and accepted factors of prognosis, such as stage at presentation and tumor mar ker Ca 19-9, was performed to determine the prognostic value of FDG PET. Re sults: The median survival in 26 patients with low SUV (< 6.1) was 9 months (95% confidence interval 6-12 months) vs. 5 months (95% confidence interva l 4-6 months) in 26 patients with high SW (greater than or equal to 6.1). M ultivariate analysis revealed SUV and tumor marker Ca 19-9 as independent f actors of prognosis in patients with pancreatic carcinoma. Conclusion: Gluc ose metabolism, as determined with FDG PET, provides additional prognostic information in patients with pancreatic carcinoma.